Planning Rule: The collaborative development of a new planning rule has been in full-swing since the publication of the Notice of Intent in December 2009. The Forest Service has received more than 26,000 written comments on the notice, more than 300 blog comments and hosted more than 40 public meetings throughout the country. The agency is currently finalizing the proposed rule with an expected publication date by December 2010. Upon publication, the Forest Service will offer a formal comment period and will host additional public meetings and collaborative opportunities for the public to discuss the rule.

Jobs: The Forest Service has 705 Recovery Act projects funded across the nation. Private sector jobs created by these projects are supporting small and minority-owned businesses and helping revitalize rural economies. Recovery Act projects provide multiple resource benefits including healthy ecosystems; reduced fire risk; clean abundant water; safe accessible recreation opportunities; energy-efficient facilities; and technology to convert wood to clean energy on federal, as well as state, private, and tribal owed lands.

Climate Change: The National Roadmap for Responding to Climate Change is the Forest Service's blueprint for responding to a changing climate and is part of the overall and ongoing effort by the Agency to restore forest and grassland landscapes. One of the measurement criteria of the Forest Service’s roadmap is a scorecard rating system to be used by all national forests and grasslands to gage the success of efforts to mitigate and adapt to a changing climate.

Water: Celebrate World Water Monitoring Day. In 2009, more than 120,000 people in 81 countries helped share results of testing their water for temperature, acidity, clarity and dissolved oxygen. The international education and outreach program aims to build public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources around the world by engaging citizens. Results are shared with participating communities around the globe through the organization’s Web site. The goal is to get 1 million people in 100 countries to participate by 2012.

Bark Beetle: Across six states of the interior west, over 17.5 million acres of forested lands are infested by bark beetles which pose a serious health and safety threat to forest visitors, residents and employees. The Forest Service is taking a strategic and science-based response to this infestation to ensure the forests of the interior west provide healthy watersheds, stimulate local economies, are resilient to a changing climate and are restored ecologically over time.