Position Statement- Volunteer Management
April 2009

GFFP was founded in 1996-97, and has been highly successful in advancing forest restoration, community wildfire protection, and bio-mass utilization in the greater Flagstaff area and the southwest region.

Our mission remains unchanged:

• Restoration of our forests,
• Protection of communities from wildfire,
• Establishment of small-diameter, sustainable wood-based businesses,
• Practice of adaptive management

Partners are a mix of business, environmental, and academic organizations, coupled with a mix of professional land, resource, and public safety agencies, working in a community-based collaborative effort.

Our focused attention on issues of interest to individual members have allowed us to forge an effective partnership that has resulted in positive and far-reaching achievements.  Our work is not yet complete - we have many challenges and opportunities before us.

We do not doubt the need to establish a concentrated volunteer effort within the Peaks/Mormon lake Ranger Districts of the Coconino National Forest.  We recognize such an effort could accomplish many worthy goals, and we applaud the energy of those who have expressed interest in volunteering. 

We must also recognize that an effective, sustained volunteer program takes time and energy to develop and maintain.  GFFP has neither the staff, finances, nor resources to attempt such an effort, and believe that if we moved in that direction it would greatly  diminish our ability to focus on our mission.