Our Goals

The RVCC's work is guided by four goals:

• Develop and promote ecologically responsible and economically equitable solutions to the problems inhibiting the restoration and maintenance of Western forests.

• Increase support for federal funding of restoration and maintenance of public lands and rural economic development.
• Advance legislative ideas and influence legislation proposed by others.

• Strengthen the voices of rural leaders in conservation and economic development policy.

Major Events

Annual Policy Meeting:  During the Annual Policy Meeting participants work together to define the RVCC's priority policy issues, messages and solutions for the coming year.  The meeting is a combination of topical work sessions, presentations, and networking. Read the 2007 Annual Policy Meeting Summary Report.

Western Week-in-Washington:  Often held twice a year, the Western Week in Washington (WWiW) trips give RVCC members a chance to travel to Washington D.C. to convey our shared messages and solutions to congressional staff, federal land management agency personnel and interest groups. Learn more about our trip in April, 2008.

Issue Papers

RVCC partners develop issue papers to explain our perspective on problems and introduce our proposed solutions. The issue papers are the RVCC's primary communication materials and a credible source of information for congressional staff, federal agency decision makers, interest groups, academics, and the media.

Issue papers are collaboratively written and edited by a working group and then sent to the larger RVCC network for sign-on.  While all RVCC partners have the opportunity to sign on to an issue paper, they are not required to.  Browse the RVCC Issue Papers.