Forests seeking resource advisory committee applicants

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — The Ozark-St. Francis and Ouachita National Forests are seeking candidates to serve on the Ozark-Ouachita Resource Advisory Committee. The committee’s purpose is to improve the community and collaborative relationships among those interested in the work of national forests and to provide advice and recommendations to the Forest Service on projects funded under Title II of the Secure Rural Schools Act.

The USDA charters the advisory committee and comprises 15 members representing a wide array of interests. Committee members must be residents of Arkansas or Oklahoma, but do not have to reside in the counties containing national forests. Members represent a wide array of National Forest interests organized into three categories, specified in Section 205 (d)(2) of the Act:

A - Five persons who represent organized labor or non-timber forest product harvester groups; represent developed outdoor recreation, off highway vehicle users, or commercial recreation activities; represent energy and mineral development interests; or commercial or recreational fishing interests; represent the commercial timber industry, or; hold federal grazing or other land use permits, or represent nonindustrial private forest land owners, within the area for which the committee is organized.

B - Five persons who represent nationally recognized environmental organizations; regionally or locally recognized environmental organizations; dispersed recreational activities; archaeological and historical interests or; nationally or regionally recognized wild horse and burro interest groups, wildlife or hunting organizations, or watershed associations.

C - Five persons who hold State elected office (or a designee); hold county or local elected office; represent Ameri- can Indian tribes within or adjacent to the area for which the committee is organized; are school officials or teachers, or; represent the affected public at large.

“The Secure Rural Schools Act encourages collaboration on projects to benefit public lands and local communities,” said Craig McBroome, Designated Federal Official for the Ozark-Ouachita RAC. “Examples of projects that are typically considered include enhancing wildlife habitats, maintaining existing recreational developments, and improving roads for user access and benefiting water quality.”

Application forms and instructions are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/ osfnf/workingtogether/advisorycommittees Committee members are not paid for their participation. Individuals may nominate themselves or others. Nominations and applications are due April 17, 2023.

Please email Caroline Mitchell at caroline.mitchell@usda.gov for more information on the application process. For additional information about the Secure Rural Schools legislation, including Titles I, II, and III, visit the SRS website at https://www. fs.usda.gov/working-with-us/secure-rural-schools

By Richie Lawry

I found what seemed like the last parking space and hurried into the Ouachita Center. The program would start in five minutes, and I had difficulty finding a seat. I was excited to see Tim Ernst’s presentation and happy that so many in my community had come to see him.

I have been a fan of Tim’s work for many years. I have several of his hiking guidebooks. Thousands of people have used his hiking guides to find the best that Arkansas offers as The Natural State. His iconic photos of the beauty of Arkansas have appeared in hundreds of national, regional, and local publications. They hang on many homes and businesses’ walls, including mine.

Jerry Butler in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette describes Tim this way. “Ernst is to Arkansas’ wilderness what painter John James Audubon was to America’s birds and what journalist David Attenborough is to the nature of the planet. Like them, Ernst has created visual images that inspire awe for the beauty of the natural world.”

As Tim began his presentation, he said, “People want to know what I’m looking for. It is great light! You can take an ordinary subject, and if you have great light on it, it can be a very interesting image. You can take a picture of an icon like Hawksbill Crag, and if the light is just kind of ordinary, so is the snapshot.” In my mind, I could see so many photos I have taken that are just ordinary snapshots. Nothing eye-catching about them, even though the scenery is beautiful. It is the light that makes the difference.

As the room darkened and Tim’s presentation of Arkansas Nightscapes began, I was in awe. The stunning nighttime photographs began appearing on the screen. Many of the photos had a recurring theme, the Milky Way. “It is easy to see the Milky Way if you can get away from city lights,” Tim explained. “Go out after midnight when there is no moon. Sit out for 10-15 minutes so you can acclimate to the darkness. Then look towards the southern sky.” I have experienced the majesty of the Milky Way in a very dark sky several times. My brother-in-law’s cabin in the mountains