The second quarter of the year has just begun, but CWSF has already held a number of productive meetings with different groups of Western forestry stakeholders.

In case you missed it, here’s a recap of the recent CWSF convenings.

Inaugural Communications Meeting - held in January in Sunriver, OR

Attendees included communications professionals from CWSF member states, communications leads from the Northeastern Area Association of State Foresters (NAASF), National Association of State Foresters (NASF), and CWSF staff.

This meeting was the first effort to convene the Western communicators. The meeting was an opportunity to discuss communication priorities, share challenges and lessons learned, and determine how the group can work together to leverage communication efforts for greater awareness and visibility.

Outcomes of the meeting included establishing a Western network of communicators, the development of quarterly webinars, and actionable ideas related to how CWSF and member states can collaborate more effectively. In the months since the meeting, several states have contacted CWSF reporting that they are building on these new connections and exploring new avenues for partnership. CWSF plans for the communications meeting to be an annual gathering.

Western States Fire Managers Annual Meeting - held in March in Sunriver, OR

The annual WSFM meeting was an opportunity to discuss emerging technologies, as well as the current fire conditions and policy environments in each of the Western states. The Western State Fire Managers in attendance discussed state fire data and the Integrated Reporting of Wildland-Fire Information (IRWIN). The National Wildfire Coordinating Group and the Wildland-Urban Interface committee also provided the group with updates on their activities.  

The WSFM hold a monthly conference call to facilitate engagement of the CWSF committee throughout the year.   

Click here to learn about upcoming CWSF and partner events.