Committees
Current Activity
The Hiawatha National Forest is currently recruiting for members for our Secure Rural Schools (SRS) Resource Advisory Committee (RAC)! The deadline to submit applications for the Hiawatha's SRS RAC has been extended to February 18, 2025. See below for information on applying.
The Hiawatha SRS Resource Advisory Committee is responsible for reviewing and recommending projects to be funded by Title II of the Secure Rural Schools Act; funds under this title are to be used for projects on federal lands. Currently, Chippewa County is the only county within the Hiawatha National Forest that opted in and utilizes Title II funds.
About the Secure Rural Schools Program
The Forest Service’s Secure Rural Schools (SRS) Program provides necessary funding to over 700 counties across the U.S. and Puerto Rico that goes towards roads, schools, and other municipal services. The program was established in 1908 to compensate counties with Forest Service lands for potential losses of tax revenue due to federal land ownership. The Forest Service distributes a portion of agency revenues from timber sales, mineral leases, recreation, grazing, and other sources to those states and counties containing national forests and grasslands. Over the past ten years, the Forest Service has distributed $2.4 billion across the country through the SRS program. Payments are divided into three categories: Title II – Roads and Schools; Title II – Projects on Federal Lands; and Title III – County Projects. The Hiawatha RAC serves the critical role of reviewing and providing recommendations for SRS Title II projects (projects on Federal Lands) in Chippewa County.
For more information on the Forest Service’s Secure Rural Schools Program, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/working-with-us/secure-rural-schools.
RAC Membership Representation
The RAC is made up of fifteen members who are appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture. Membership will have balanced and diverse representation and include individuals who are recreation users, members of environmental organizations, elected officials, tribal representatives, school officials, timber industry, public at large, and other interest groups. The Hiawatha aims to have representation from each of the fifteen sub-categories listed below:
Category A: Five persons who represent –
- Organized labor or non-timber forest product harvester groups
- Developed outdoor recreation, off-highway vehicle users, or commercial recreation activities
- Energy and mineral development, or commercial or recreational fishing interests
- Commercial timber industry
- Federal grazing permits or other land use permit holders or represent non-industrial private forest landowners within the area for which the committee is organized
Category B: Five persons who represent –
- Nationally recognized environmental organizations
- Regionally or locally recognized environmental organizations
- Dispersed recreational activities
- Archaeological and historical interests
- Nationally or regionally recognized wild horse and burro interest groups, wildlife or hunting organizations, or watershed associations
Category C: Five persons who represent –
- State elected office (or a designee)
- County or local elected office
- American Indian tribes within or adjacent to the area for which the committee is organized
- Area school officials or teachers
- Affected public-at-large
Requirements and Participation on the RAC
RAC members must reside within the State of Michigan, and to the extent practicable within the RAC boundary, which is Chippewa County.
Selected candidates will serve a four-year term.
RAC business is normally conducted during two or three meetings per year and typically held in Chippewa County. Meetings are usually one or two hours in length. Travel expenses for RAC participation are reimbursable.
Applying to Serve on the Hiawatha RAC
The deadline to submit applications for the Hiawatha's SRS RAC has been extended to February 18, 2025. Nominees will be evaluated based on their education, training, and experience working with the interest area they represent, their knowledge of the geographic area covered by the RAC, their demonstrated commitment to collaborative resource decision-making and their contribution to the balance and diversity of the RAC. More information may be requested to determine qualifications.
To apply, please fill out the Interest Form (required), Form AD-755: Advisory Committee or Research and Promotion Background Information (required), and any supporting documents such as a resume (optional) and send by mail or email to:
McKenzie Fox-Potter
Hiawatha National Forest
820 Rains Drive
Gladstone, MI 49837
Hiawatha National Forest SRS Resource Advisory Coordinator Contact
Please contact McKenzie Fox-Potter, RAC Coordinator, with any questions.
Email: mckenzie.fox-potter@usda.gov
Phone: (906) 428-5853
Eastern Region Recreation Resource Advisory Committee
You are invited to bring your unique perspective to a citizen advisory committee.
The U.S. Forest Service is seeking a diverse group of nominees to reflect and represent your respective community needs and values as part of the Eastern Region Recreation Resource Advisory Committee. The 11 positions will serve 17 national forests and one tall grass prairie across the Northeast and Midwest. The committee will review recreation fee proposals for the forests/prairie in the Eastern Region and recommend fee changes.
Recreation is the portal through which people connect to their national forests. Thus, national forest recreation plays a key role in the social stability, environmental integrity, and economic vitality of these communities. Recreation fees help improve access to recreation sites and increase opportunities for enjoyment of public lands.
To be effective, we need a committee that is representative of the diversity of our nation. We will look to members to communicate emerging issues and share technical and professional knowledge. This will allow us to increase collaborative work across boundaries and borders to optimize recreation benefits for all.
Nomination Information
Potential nominees must represent the following forest-related interests:
- Category One: Five people who represent recreation users, one in each position: summer motorized, summer non-motorized, winter motorized, winter non-motorized, and hunting and fishing.
- Category Two: Three people who represent interest groups that include as appropriate: motorized outfitter and guides, non-motorized outfitter and guides, and local environmental groups.
- Category Three: Three people, one in each position: State tourism official, a person who represents affected local government interests, and a person who represents affected Tribal Nations’ issues.
Applicants will be recommended to the Regional Forester for a two to three-year term appointment based on the following criteria:
- How the person is qualified to represent one or more of the interests listed above.
- Experience working with underserved populations including people of color.
- Why the person wants to serve on the committee and what they can contribute.
- Past experience in successfully working in a group setting.
Nominees’ demonstrated ability to represent minorities, women, and persons with disabilities will be considered in membership selections. United States Department of Agriculture policies regarding equal opportunity will be followed.
Travel Costs
The Eastern Region Recreation Resource Advisory Committee members will receive travel and per diem expenses for regularly scheduled meetings, however, they will not receive compensation. Meetings may be in-person, virtual, or a combination of the two. The jurisdiction of the Eastern Region Recreation Resource Advisory Committee covers the National Forests/National Tallgrass Prairie in: Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, District of Columbia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine.
Nominee Submissions
Completed applications must be received by March 1, 2024.
Nomination packets and details are available at: Region 9 - Advisory Committees (usda.gov)
Have questions or need assistance? Contact Krystal Fleeger at sm.fs.r9_rrac@usda.gov.