Don Boucher calls his position title Stewardship Coordinator
on the Siskiyou Mountains Ranger District. He undertakes the task of being the contact person in several collaborative efforts in the Forest Service. His forestry thirty-year career has almost exclusively been
with the US Forest Service in Southern Oregon.
He began as a smoke jumper in the extreme terrains of Oregon
and California. Jumping out of
airplanes gave him the thrill that comes with fighting fire. Onwards to forest
engineering, timber programs, and project management through the ranks of the
forest service, Don has seen it all.
It wasn’t until the 2000s where collaborative forest management became
ever clear in his eye that the USFS needed to jump aboard.
He naturally became involved in the Ashland Forest
Resiliency Project as an active member in the community and forestry. The project gained footing in 2005 when
interests groups in the area combined forces to build a strong foundation for
active management in the Ashland watershed. His involvement was integral to success with his experience
with the bureaucratic loops in the system of the USFS. His passion to see boots on the ground
and community support with scientific support was significant in moving towards
active management.
Don’s involvement in Collaborative Forestry efforts extends
past Ashland. His involvement continues to the Applegate Collaborative as a
lead in facilitating discussion with USFS contributions. He participates in the Southern Oregon
Forest Restoration Collaborative, a regional planning team. His extensive experience in
collaborative work is astonishing and very valuable to learn from.
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