SEVENTH AMERICAN
FOREST CONGRESS

Toward a Shared Vision

Participation

The Seventh American Forest Congress is as much about the people of the United States as it is the forests. Developing a common vision for our forests requires the participation by a broad spectrum of concerned citizens and organizations. We want to encourage you to become involved.

There are many different ways for you to become involved with the Congress. The simplest way is send your comments to the Congress either by E-mail or postal mail. Another method for you to become involved is to attend a local roundtable session in your region. Information about the location of roundtables will be available on the Congress Homepage as the events become scheduled. You can also volunteer your time or services by contacting the Congress by E-Mail, Response Form, or directly contacting the appropriate Congress Committee member.

One additional way for you to participate in setting a shared vision for AmericaÕs forests is to sponsor a local roundtable discussion. The following paragraph briefly explains some of the steps involved in the roundtable process. We strongly encourage organizations to form coalitions and sponsor local roundtables.

Local Roundtables

A local Congress starts by someone taking the lead and forming a steering committee. Experience to date suggests the steering committee needs 9 to 15 members from across the range of industrial, environmental, tourism, community development, and public agency interests common to forested areas. The steering committee must meet and talk enough to take ownership of the local roundtable and its success. The committee must invite the participants from the same breadth of interests from across the local area.

In many cases, participants will write a vision statement before the roundtable. They will share their vision statements early in the day-long process. The question is, What is your vision of Americas forests a generation hence?

Much of a roundtable consists of meetings between small groups of 8-10 people talking about the second question What principles should guide us toward our vision of Americas forests. A touching baseÓ session or two during the day allows the groups to share their progress and ideas. Toward the end of the day, the roundtable as a whole will combine the principles from each small group. Those upon which there is general agreement are the principles submitted by the local roundtable. The roundtableÕs common vision is written as well. Several sample vision statements, were prepared at the Nebraska Roundtable.

The results of each local roundtable will be synthesized and presented at the Forest Congress in February. In addition, at least one member of the local roundtable should attend the Congress in February to present a posterboard session of the results.

The Office of the Congress will provide support local roundtables with training, manuals, and fundraising assistance.

Toward a Shared Vision for AmericaÕs Forests -- Get involved.

Return to: Local Roundtables, Congress Home Page