The committee works with regional agencies in addressing exotic invasive species, deforestation, erosion, coral reef protection, fire, conservation education and agro-forestry concerns.
Deleon Guerrero was nominated during last week’s conference in Palau that was also attended by the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the Marshall Islands, American Samoa, Hawaii and the U.S. government.
Deleon Guerrero, in an interview, said the mission of the committee is to aid the Council of Western State Foresters and the Western Forestry Leadership Coalition develop a unified approach in representing natural resource issues and the forestry managers’ need of the U.S. affiliated Pacific islands.
This allows the group to have a unified presence when lobbying the U.S. Congress, the National Association of State Foresters and the Washington office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service.
Deleon Guerrero said the committee also provides a forum for technology transfer, training and cultural exchange.
The Western Forestry Leadership Coalition has 34 members representing federal and state agencies, including foresters from the American-affiliated islands of the Pacific.
