Shelagh Fox

Temporary Detail (Career Development) within the USFS
Provided silviculture and reforestation technical expertise to the National Silviculturist, National Reforestation Program Lead and Future Forests staff, contributing to national-level policy, budget, and training initiatives that shape forest management practices across the U.S. Forest Service regions. My work with the U.S. Forest Service Washington Office staff strengthened agency-wide consistency in silviculture, reforestation, and fuels management – bridging science, policy, and implementation to build climate-resilient forests nationwide.

• Partnered with the National Silviculturist and small team to modernize Forest Service Manual 2400, influencing policy direction for 28,000+ employees across all the regions.
• Co-authored Technical Guidance for Old-Growth Prescriptions, informing silviculture decisions across 154 National Forests and Grasslands.
• Provided technical input into the national reforestation program including assistance with regional implementation plans and partner/regional coordination meetings; tiered to the United States Forest Service National Reforestation Strategy.
• Contributed to creation of interagency fuels NEPA training for the National Fuels Academy, enhancing cross-agency understanding of silviculture and fuels analysis in project planning

Led regional silviculture and reforestation program across 25 million acres and 12 National Forests. Drove forest resilience, reforestation, and wildfire risk reduction through science-based planning and cross-sector collaboration.

• Managed the silviculture certification program for the region, mentoring 60+ certified and trainee silviculturists.

• Managed $2-5M annual program budgets and supervised regional technical staff.

• Partnered with internal and external stakeholders on reforestation, forest health & resilience, and old growth management initiatives.

• Co-authored the 2024 United States Forest Service (USFS) Northern Region 10-Year Reforestation Implementation Plan, shaping regional strategies to advance the USFS National Reforestation Strategy.

• Delivered 50+ technical presentations to leadership, interagency partners, and public audiences.

• Coordinated 30+ regional and national trainings for 400+ professionals, on forest resilience, reforestation, and fuels planning strengthening workforce capacity and building partnerships across agencies and NGOs.

• Conducted site reviews and trainings for field staff, emphasizing effective implementation practices and safety.

• Partnered with Agency and University researchers to develop forest management applicable research projects.

• Contributed to WBP conservation and recovery planning.

• Member of 4-person technical delegation to Brazil with USFS International Program working with the Brazilian Forest Service on seed collection and reforestation strategies.

• Regional representative on national team tasked to develop and execute the 2022 USFS National Silviculture Workshop, Kellogg, ID.

• Recipient of USFS National Silviculture Excellence Award (2019) for reforestation within the agency.

• Provided wildland fire suppression support as a member of a national Type 2 Incident Management Team.

Delivered reforestation and stand improvement expertise to 52 National Forests across 4 U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Regions and 3 federal nurseries in the intermountain west, supporting climate-informed reforestation on 77+K acres annually.

• Conducted 2-3 regional program reviews annually, improving reforestation and stand improvement outcomes through collaborative evaluation and adaptive management.
• Prepared data analysis and technical expertise for budget oversight and reporting.
• Coordinated external partnership proposals and reports to secure $900K+ funding for advancing large-scale reforestation for post wildfire recovery.
• Co-developed USFS Northern Region GIS reforestation tool reducing post wildfire recovery assessment
timeliness while improving reforestation planning.
• Designed and delivered 10+ multi-region training programs for 300+ specialists, strengthening implementation capacity and workforce development.
• Provided wildland fire suppression support as a member of a national Type 2 Incident Management
Team.

Managed forestry and fuels operations across 200K acres of public lands, advancing wildfire resilience and watershed restoration. Partnered with interdisciplinary teams and strengthened interagency and partner collaboration to deliver on-the-ground results.

• Utilized dynamic GIS landscape modeling system to inform forested vegetation restoration priorities on 2 multi-decadal interdisciplinary watershed assessments (20-50K acres) and subsequent environmental assessments.
• Supervised 5 full-time staff and seasonal teams managing fuels, reforestation, and forest restoration & resilience projects across 200K acres.
• Directed interagency vegetation treatments (reforestation, harvest, thinning, prescribed fire) on 1,500-2,000+ acres annually, enhancing community wildfire protection and watershed resilience.
• Partnered with federal and state land management agencies (federal and state), and communities to align forest and fire resilience strategies.
• Developed and managed program and project budgets.
• Provided wildland fire suppression support as a member of a national Type 2 Incident Management
Team.
• Contracting Officer Representative – service and stewardship service contracts
• DOI Foundations in Leadership Certificate Program -2011
• Recipient of the 2013 BLM Montana/Dakotas Director Award for Excellence in Stewardship.

Piloted fuels management, wildfire mitigation and NEPA planning across Western Montana landscapes. Advanced cross-boundary partnerships integrating ecological and community protection objectives.

• Created Missoula Field Office fuels program.
• Developed, implemented, and monitored prescribed fire and mechanical fuels on-the-ground projects improving wildfire resilience across thousands of acres.
• Partnered with interdisciplinary teams as the fuels expert, developed 4 watershed assessments (13K-30K acres each) and ensuing NEPA environmental assessments enabling cross-boundary collaboration with federal and state agencies and private partners resulting in restoring and improving resource conditions at scale.
• Managed fuels budget and 4 interagency agreements ensuring fiscal and regulatory compliance.
• Represented Field Office fuels program at state and interagency levels.
• Contracting Officer Representative – service and stewardship service contracts
• Attended U.S. Forest Service National Advanced Silviculture Program (NASP) - graduate level course ecological systems, inventory & decision support, landscape ecology, and advanced silviculture.
• Participated in wildland fire suppression.
• Positions included Fire Ecologist, Fuels Management Specialist, Fuel & Forestry Technician.

Highlight:
• Co-led team the Garnet Ghost Town Hazardous Fuels Reduction project to reduce fuels around 2 historic ghost towns listed on the National Register of Historic Places while preserving the historic structure and features of the area.
• This project won the 2008 BLM Fires/Fuels National Fire Management Award for collaboration with partners to implement fuels reduction around historic ghost towns.
• Successful completion of a small pilot project within the Garnet Ghost Town footprint allowed scaling to 300-acre fuels treatment around Garnet and Coloma Ghost Towns with installation of interpretive trails, signs, and bridges.

Directed silviculture operations across 110K acres in coastal British Columbia, enhancing forest productivity. Balanced economic and environmental goals through data-driven management and collaborative leadership.
• Developed silviculture prescriptions for harvest and post-harvest silviculture activities through stand rotation.
• Administered post-harvest silviculture operations including planting (750K+ seedlings/annually), thinning, pruning, brush control, prescribed fire, and implementation monitoring/surveys leading to 20K+ acres/year of active forest management.
• Coordinated 44K acres of contract aerial fertilization improving growth rates in western red cedar and Douglas-fir plantations.
• Coordinated with forest engineers and provincial agencies to ensure compliance with British Columbia Forest Practices Codes.
• Built partnerships with contractors, regulators, and community stakeholders to achieve sustainable outcomes.
• Positions included Assistant Forester managing 1/3 of the Company's Holberg Division silviculture program and Forestry Crewman II.
• Volunteer community structural fire department member.
• Volunteer at salmonid hatchery.