In an era of constrained appropriations and increasingly complex social and environmental challenges, partnerships have become an essential tool for public land management agencies, such as the USDA Forest Service (USFS), to accomplish critical tasks, meet management goals, and enhance service delivery. Despite the growing practice and reliance on partnerships as an alternative management strategy, few empirical assessments of this management approach have been conducted, and knowledge is limited regarding the structure and function of these relationships. Therefore, the goals of this study were to expand the established partnership knowledge base by systematically examining the institutional characteristics necessary to foster a vibrant partnership culture, uncovering and documenting the various partnership structural types being utilized, and determining whether or not institutional characteristics or external environment characteristics are related to the partnership approach utilized by USFS personnel. Data collected clearly document a steady increase in the reliance of partnerships as a management strategy in recreation and resource service delivery. As the partnership phenomenon continues to be espoused by the USFS as an innovative and alternative management strategy, this thesis provides agency personnels' depiction of the agency's capacity to engage and support partnerships at multiple administrative levels and on different national forests, and helps build the foundation for managing national forests through partnerships.

This toolkit is designed to help you as a liaison with landowners, community leaders, nonprofit organizations, and volunteer groups that are implementing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service programs in your area-meet USDA and Forest Service goals and requirements for outreach to populations that have been traditionally underserved. As our Nation grows more diverse, the need to reach out to all segments of society, particularly the underserved populations and communities, becomes more pronounced. Accordingly, the mission, plans, and activities of the USDA Forest Service must be accessible to all those who qualify for them. This toolkit will help you become aware of USDA Forest Service expectations and guide you in making your community outreach efforts more effective. By assisting you in developing a Public Outreach Plan, the toolkit will help assure that USDA Forest Service programs are open to equal participation by traditionally underserved populations.