AgriLife Advanced Leadership Program

Transcription

1 AgriLife Advanced Leadership Program January 7, 2013 Joel Hambright Regional Forester Karen Stafford WUI Specialist III TEXAS A&M FOREST SERVICE 1

2 Why & How TFS Was Formed In 1898 at the request of Dr. B. E. Fernow, Chief of the Division of Forestry of the U.S.D.A., W. Goodrich Jones made a horseback survey of the virgin pine forest of East Texas. Jones issued a bleak narrative report of his findings, titled "Texas Timber Resources." As one result of the survey, Dr. Fernow urged Mr. Jones to work toward the establishment of a State department of forestry. This was Jones second horseback trip into East Texas; the first was in Forest workers rest beside the fruits of their labor: yards of cut and stacked logs, ready to be transported to the sawmill. Photo courtesy of Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin, East Texas Collection (DI_01282). 2

3 Why & How TFS Was Formed Richard Burges of El Paso introduced the forestry bill into the House of Reps on Jan. 15, The establishment of this important agency did not take place in a vacuum. Instead, it was a child of a few determined men of vision, pragmatic lumber barons, and the catalytic times of the progressive era in Texas. Without the perseverance of its principal founder, W. Goodrich Jones of Temple, the creation of such an agency undoubtedly would have been delayed until the 1930 s. (An Administrative History of the Texas Forest Service, ; p. iii) There was opposition One of the members of the House Committee on Forestry stated, Mr. Jones, you have talked a lot, now I want to say something. I don t want to see no forestry dudes coming to Texas. I ve read all about them. They draw the people s pay and spend their time behind their offices playing lawn tennis. Oh I know them, they are a lot of d grafters, and I am opposed to your bill. Again, we ve got enough lumber in Texas for a hundred years. I m a farmer and I m fighting bresh all the time. The pesky trees grow faster than we can cut them down. (An Administrative History of the Texas Forest Service, ; p. 133) 3

4 Why & How TFS Was Formed those parts of the state that had the trees were opposed to the bill while those that did not were in favor. This was because of a fear of a sales tax being placed on those areas that produced timber. (An Administrative History of the Texas Forest Service, ; p. 137) 4

5 TFS History Created by an Act of legislature in Six patrolmen were hired in SE TX. Known as Department of Forestry until Only eight agency directors in its 95 year history. 5

6 TFS History One of only five state agencies under the direction of a university board. TFS is only state forestry agency to be awarded the National Wildfire Leadership Committee s Lead by Example Award. Only state agency to be designated Lead Agency in declared federal incident (Space Shuttle Columbia Recovery). 6

7 Mission and Enabling Legislation Mission Texas Forest Service provides statewide leadership to assure the state s trees, forests and related natural resources are protected and sustained for the benefit of all. Assume direction of all forest interests and all matters pertaining to forestry within the jurisdiction of this state; Take any action deemed necessary by the board to prevent and extinguish forest fires; enforce all laws pertaining to the protection of forests and woodlands and prosecute violations of those laws; Collect data relating to forest conditions; Make surveys and investigations to determine the existence of infestations of forest pests and means practical for their control by landowners. 7

8 FY2013 Budgeted Revenues by Source Division Total Percent State General Revenue - Fund 001 7,117, % Department of Insurance - Fund ,940, % VFD Assistance - Fund ,000, % VFD Insurance - Fund ,000, % Urban License Plates - Fund , % Contracts and Grants 8,987, % Sales and Services 2,258, % Investment & Other Income 320, % Total 65,629, % 8

9 FY2013 Budgeted Expenses by Category Division Total Percent Personnel Costs 25,666, % Operations & Maintenance 14,124, % Pass-Thru Grants 9,230, % Total 49,021, % 9

10 10

11 Three Divisions One Vision Forest Resource Development Finance Administration Forest Resource Protection Service 11

12 Texas A&M Forest Service Forest Resource Development Forest Resource Protection Finance and Administration East Texas Operations Sustainable Forestry Central/West Texas Operations Fire Operations Law Enforcement Fire Administration Employment & Professional Development Urban Forestry Forest Inventory Analysis Urban Forestry Mitigation & Prevention Arson Investigation Payroll & Support Services Forest Pest Management Water Quality Forest Pest Management Predictive Services Timber Theft Investigation Budgets & Accounting East Texas Programs Ecosystem Services West Texas Programs Planning & Preparedness Purchasing Forest Taxation Capacity Building Information Resources Forest Economics & Resource Analysis Incident Response 12

13 Forest Resource Development Sustainable Forestry Forest Inventory and Analysis Water Resources Ecosystem Services Forest Taxation Forest Economics Resource Analysis 13

14 Forest Resource Development Central/West Texas Operations Urban & Community Forestry Forest Health West Texas Technical Assistance West Texas Nursery 14

15 Forest Resource Development East Texas Operations Landowner Assistance Forest Health Community Forestry Outreach Activities Emergency Response 15

16 Predictive Services Continually provides qualitative scientific data and intelligence regarding current and anticipated fire conditions 16

17 Mitigation & Prevention Maintain programs that reduce fire occurrence, hazardous conditions and the risk of loss from wildfires 17

18 Planning & Preparedness Work collaboratively with other departments and agencies in planning, developing, implementing, supporting and evaluating TFS response capabilities and needs 18

19 Capacity Building Assist local fire departments and cooperators through the implementation of programs designed to train, equip, and improve safety 19

20 Incident Response Insures rapid and effective response to protect the state and it citizens from natural and man made disasters 20

21 Since Nov. 15, 2010 Fires Acres Homes Saved Other Structures Saved Total Saved Homes Lost Other Structures Lost Total Lost Total 30,501 3,992,644 39,389 13,127 42, ,811 5,617 21

22 30,501 fires 3.9 million acres 2,806 homes lost 39,389 home saved 22

23 Start Date: Acres Burned: 314, homes lost 31 miles 23

24 Start Date: Acres Burned: 126, homes lost 24

25 Midway Fire Walker County Jun 30,

26 Start Date: Acres Burned: 34,068 acres 1645 homes lost 2 Fatalities 26

27 Start Date: Acres Burned: 125 acres 23 homes lost Austin, TX 27

28 Start Date: Acres Burned: 19,960 acres 73 homes lost Waller, Montgomery and Grimes Counties 28

29 Start Date: Acres Burned: 41,050 acres 66 homes lost Cass & Marion County 29

30 2011 Wildfire Response Overview 30,501 = Fires 3,992,644 = Acres burned 2,806 = Homes lost 39,389 = Homes saved 30

31 Driest year in Texas history since 1895 Most acres burned 3.9 million acres Most homes lost on a single day 1,639 Largest fire in East Texas history Bear Creek, 41,050 acres Longest duration fire Rockhouse Fire Second longest Fire Season (started November 15, 2010) April 4 6, ,700 fires & 1.4 million acres Prevention Reduced preventable ignitions from 70% to 40% 31

32 Moving Forward! 2011 was devastating. It is not in our nature, within TFS, to dwell on the past. We dedicate ourselves to the protection and renewal of the state s citizens and natural resources. 32

33 33

34 Drought Assessment Region Live Trees Before Drought * (Million Trees) Droughtrelated Mortality (Million Trees) SE East % SE West % NE East % NE West % North % Brazos Valley % South % Central 1, % Panhandle % Trans Pecos % Droughtrelated Mortality (Percentage) Total 4, % 34

35 Bastrop Recovery 35

36 TxWRAP Hazardous Fuel Mitigation CWPP s 36

37 Capacity Building VFD Emergency Assistance Grant 37

38 Planning for the Future Post Fire Assessment = Landscape Restoration Edwards Plateau & Cross Timbers Region Texas Division of Emergency Management Mitigation Committee members 38

39 TxFIP Our Footprints TxWRAP How to plant a seedling 51 Community Wildfire Protection Plans (15 county plans) 155 Communities Big Tree Registry Tree Watering Tips Southern Plains Wildfire Outbreak Texas Firestorm 3:52 52 Communities (16 recognized in 2012!) It s not bragging if it s true :24

40 40