In an unprecedented move, the U.S. Forest Service signed an agreement with the Sierra Business Council on Thursday, providing for increased collaboration between the groups in looking at economic social and environmental realities of the Sierra Nevada in the 21st century.
The memorandum of understanding between the council and the Pacific Southwest Region of the U.S. Forest Service, which includes Lake Tahoe, is the first ever between the forest service and a nonprofit organization, according to David Mattocks, president of the Sierra Business Council.
"This (memorandum) will allow us to share data, resources and partnerships," Janice Gauthier, spokeswoman for the forest service, said on Thursday.
Sierra Business Council is a Truckee-based nonprofit association of more than 700 hundred businesses, agencies and individuals working to secure the social, environmental and financial health of the Sierra Nevada Region.
Mattocks hopes the agreement will foster communication throughout the Sierra Nevada and keep conflict on environmental issues from traveling down the road to litigation.
"We don't believe economic development and environmental sustainability have to be at odds with each other ...
MOU Signed by US Forest Service and NGO Sierra Business Council
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