Introduction

Partnerships in land stewardship reflect a growing and important trend: the joining of passion and resources by committed citizens, organizations, and government agencies to achieve social, economic, and ecological goals. The Forest Service has worked with partners throughout its 100-year history. But the problems of land management have grown more complex, and the needs of the public more varied. The American people today are voicing their strong desire to volunteer and participate in the stewardship of natural resources and in the decisions that affect their communities.

The Forest Service is responding by empowering employees and partners to create and sustain successful partnerships. The National Forest Foundation (NFF), a key Forest Service partner, is assisting the agency in this arena by helping to build partnerships and partner networks. (Read more about the NFF in Chapter IV — Field Guide to Nonprofit Organizations.) Internally, the Forest Service is aligning its structure and policies to help partnerships run more smoothly. For example, the agency is clarifying conduct and ethics policies for partnerships and re-engineering its business processes. In 2004, the President's Administration sent a Forest Service partnership bill to Congress.

This Partnership Guide, produced by the Forest Service and the NFF, is a tool to help Forest Service employees, experienced partners, and first-time or potential partners work together more effectively and efficiently. The guide answers common questions about the agency's policies and procedures, helps partnerships anticipate potential hurdles, and provides contacts and other resources to help users find more specific guidance. Finally, the guide highlights creative approaches taking place across the country that promote sustainable and vibrant forests, grasslands, and communities. Through partnerships like these, the agency is learning how to more successfully sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.