‘Service First’ agreement signed

Local public land management agencies in the Southern Black Hills are working closer together, as a result of a recently signed agreement between the Forest Service and the National Park Service. Known as a “Service First” agreement, reflecting the recent law on which it is based, the agreement allows the Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to exchange resources and share equipment across jurisdictional boundaries. “We hope this agreement improves service to the public while increasing operational efficiencies among agencies,” said Larry Johnson, Jewel Cave National Monument Superintendent. “We all share common borders and in many cases, similar issues. In this time of budget shortfalls, working together as good neighbors makes sense and benefits everyone, especially the taxpayers.” Participating in this agreement is the Hell Canyon Ranger District of the Black Hills National Forest, the Fall River Ranger District of the Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands, Jewel Cave National Monument, and Wind Cave National Park. “This is really about building relationships between administrators and looking for opportunities to share scarce resources,” stated Hell Canyon District Ranger, Lynn Kolund...more

Times must be really getting tough out there...federal agencies are actually cooperating with each other.