March 31, 2008 - It has now been two weeks since we completed the last of our 15 "face-to-face" public meetings. As you might imagine, it was a very interesting journey and revealed quite a bit regarding our collective concerns regarding the sustainability of forests in the South. We're in the process of posting the comments received from all of these meetings.

As promised, we'll complete our public input process with three more input sessions. To allow for a broad participation from throughout the region, these will be conducted using an internet platform. You will be able to access the meeting using a computer with access to the internet. These "webinars" will be held at the following times:

• Tuesday, April  8, 7:00-9:00 PM Eastern Time
• Wednesday April 16, 2:00-4:00 PM Eastern Time
• Wednesday April 16, 7:00-9:00 PM Eastern Time

Visit the Webinar page to register so we can send you details on how to join in.

Please also pass the word regarding these webinars, especially to those who missed out on the face-to-face meetings. And remember that you can always use the public input form to provide us with additional input.

Thank you for your continued interest and participation!

March 3, 2008 - We're nearing the conclusion of our schedule of public meetings and the gathering of your input. This week will see us in Athens, Georgia and Auburn, Alabama, where we'll be taking input on Piedmont and Coastal Plain issues. Toward the end of March, we'll be hosting two web-based seminars for folks who did not have an opportunity to attend one of the fourteen public meetings. Yet another way for you to provide us with your insights is to use our newly developed online Comment Form. We now look forward to carefully evaluating this input and distilling it into a set of issues to be addressed by the Futures Project.

February 25, 2008 - Today we'll be visiting Raleigh, North Carolina to complete the tenth of fifteen public meetings for the project. To date, we've gathered input from about 400 people in nine different states. It has been a fascinating set of meetings that have provided us with a broad, panoramic view of the issues facing forests and their values throughout the South. The diversity of this region is stunning-from the coastal flatwoods of South Carolina to the cross-timbers region of central Oklahoma-but many of the issues we are hearing are held in common. We look forward to carefully evaluating this input and distilling it into a set of issues to be addressed by the Futures Project, while we collect more input at our remaining meetings. We've posted the first set of public comments, from our meeting in Baton Rouge, for your review.

February 5, 2008 - Now that we've added Auburn and Blacksburg, we now have details posted for all but the last of the face-to-face meetings. Still to come are details for the meeting in the Islands subregion plus the two Webcast meetings. Good thing, too, as we've already completed our first two Public Meetings, the ones in Baton Rouge and Stoneville. For the hundred plus people able to join those meetings, that you for your interest, enthusiasm, and advice. We'll be working to summarize your input and get that made available on the web site. For the rest of you, please check our other Public Meeting Locations and find one you can attend!

January 15, 2008 - Thanks for your patience while we got the new site design implemented. For now you're probably interested in the upcoming Public Meetings. We'll be posting more details on them as they come together. Each of the 15 face-to-face meetings will run from 1 to 5 pm, local time. Right now we have the dates and cities lined up but are still working on specific locations. These meetings will be supplemented by two online meetings to be held in the evening. Dates and times for these have not yet been scheduled. Please use the form to the right to sign up for our listserv so we can alert you when new details become available.

January 8, 2008 - It's getting pretty exciting around here. Our initial organizing phase is now complete, and we're looking forward to our upcoming round of 17 public meetings, to be held across the South and beginning January 29th in Baton Rouge, LA. Sign up for our email list and we'll let you know as soon as details are available.

December 13, 2007 - Subregional Team Leaders met face to face for the first time today in Atlanta to plan a series of meetings that seek public input into key issues facing this project. Over a dozen meetings will be held across the Southern U.S. beginning the end of January 2007 and running into March. Stay tuned for more details here as they develop.