White-nose syndrome is a fungal disease that has killed more than 1 million bats across the notheast and mid-Atlantic U.S. in the last 4 years and continues unchecked. It has not been found in Arizona or New Mexico. We are working together with many state, federal and private organizations to protect our bats and cave resources. This includes starting decontamination procedures for National Forest lands; and white-nose syndrome surveillance for early detection of the disease.
Four national forests are actively engaged in a collaborative, landscape-scale initiative designed to restore fire-adapted ecosystems in the Southwestern Region. Those forests are the Kaibab, Coconino, Apache-Sitgreaves and Tonto. Together with a diverse group of stakeholders, including members of local, county and state governments, organizations, institutions environmental groups, and industry representatives, the four forest supervisors and Four Forest Restoration Initiative team members are working to collaboratively plan and carry out landscape-scale restoration of ponderosa pine forests in northern Arizona.
The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has declared 2011 as the International Year of Forests to bolster efforts to promote sustainable management, conservation and development of forests.
