The Western Governors’ National Forest and Rangeland Management Initiative of Montana Governor Steve Bullock, launched in 2016, created a mechanism for states and land managers to share best practices and policy options for forest and rangeland management. The first-year’s work of the initiative developed 48 legislative and regulatory recommendations; in the following year 6 of the 18 legislative recommendations were enacted into law in addition to a solution for ‘fire-borrowing.’ The work of the initiative is now being continued in the WGA Working Lands Roundtable.
The Western Governors’ Species Conservation and Endangered Species Act Initiative of Wyoming Governor Matt Mead, launched in 2015, used workshops and webinars to develop an extensive first-year report with six central themes for further exploration and a multi-year work plan. The goal of the initiative to improve the efficacy of the Endangered Species Act is now being continued by the work of the WGA Working Lands Roundtable.
The Western Governors’ Drought Forum of Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, launched in 2014, fostered a regional dialogue in which states shared best practices on drought policy, preparedness and management. WGA hosted workshops and webinars and developed an online drought resource library that included case studies and drought tools.
