Strategic Plan 2018-2022
In the United States, more than half of the nation’s forest lands and rangelands are under private ownership. Recognizing the sustainability of the nation’s forest and rangeland resources largely depends on the actions of the millions of private forest owners, farmers, ranchers, and land managers, this next RREA strategic plan focuses on these traditional stakeholder groups. However, this plan also suggests a renewed commitment to serving the needs of audiences noted in the original legislation, and which were also identified in the national survey as emerging audiences, including policy-makers, the interested public, and youth.
This plan confirms a unified mission and vision for natural resource Extension programs funded by the RREA. It also provides insights into emerging technologies, shifting preferences for communication and learning, and changing demographics and audiences, and confirms the need to demonstrate value and cost-effectiveness for the use of federal tax dollars. In addition, the plan suggests strategies for improved evaluation, teaching methods, program delivery, and the incorporation of new technologies into programming. At the core of this plan is a description of nine critical issues, including goals, actions, and potential performance measures, that Extension professionals, administrators, and stakeholder groups identified as most relevant to natural resource management efforts.
At the same time, during the process of updating the plan, the potential continued loss of expertise was identified as a crucial issue not only in terms of business enterprises, but in the changing leadership among forestry and rangeland professionals. In the coming years, the need for enhanced Extension programming will be even more important as current natural resource leaders retire and the next generation of professionals take their places or, even more significantly, due to the potential loss of positions through attrition. Increased mentoring and professional development programs will be vital, and meeting information needs through ubiquitous and emerging technologies to disseminate, inform, and teach will be essential.
Finally, the 2018-2022 strategic planning team believes that forest and rangeland Extension professionals will find this document useful in developing the enhanced programming made possible through RREA support. Indeed, the plan is designed to be informative about current trends and issues on a national basis while recognizing regional and local differences, and to provide guidance on programming strategies.
Summaries
- Executive Summary: Strategic Plan 2018-2022
- Policy Makers Summary: Strategic Plan 2018-2022
- Stakeholder Summary: Strategic Plan 2018-2022
The Strategic Plan
Developing the Strategic Plan
Additional RREA Strategic Plans & Resources