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Forest Conservation

Project Leader: Paul Catanzaro

Participating Extension Staff and Faculty:

  • Paul Catanzaro
  • Dave Kittredge
  • Paul Barten

Project Year: 2009 

Brief Description

Sixty-two percent of Massachusetts is forested. A large majority (79%) of Massachusetts forests are privately owned. Most landowners enjoy their woodlots for privacy and aesthetics on a daily basis, but most do not consider options and opportunities for forest conservation until something triggers a decision point regarding the management of the woods or the future status of the property.  This can force landowners to make quick decisions without sufficient planning or information.

The goal of the Forest Conservation project is to put into place in each community the people that can deliver accurate information at crucial decision making times. Extension understands that networks of respected community leaders is one of the most effective ways of disseminating information and helping individuals and communities to make informed decisions about their forest resources.  Our intent is to provide influential citizens with the information to encourage their peers to contact the right people and to ask the right questions.

The Forest Conservation Project includes the following initiatives:

  • Keystone Project - selects and educates forest owners and community leaders who have a significant impact on their communities.
  • A Cooperative Resource Network (ACORN) and website (masskeystone.net) - complements the Keystone project and provides resources for forest landowners looking to make the right decisions about forest conservation.
  • Woods Forums - Educational programs where landowners can ask questions and discuss topics of interest
  • Connecting People and Partners - distills land conservation models into easily understandable forms for municipal officials and community leaders; also provide a variety of internet tools for landowners including a Forest Conservation website (masswoods.net)

Activities

  • MassWoods.net - maintain and expand our landowner website
  • Keystone (formerly Coverts) forest conservation training for landowners and community leaders, including the maintenance and expansion of the Keystone website.
  • Woods Forums
  • ACORN (A CoOperative Resource Netowork)
  • Southern New England Stumpage Price Survey - Ongoing quarterly survey, analysis, and reporting of stumpage prices in MA, CT, and RI, in collaboration with Steve Broderick (CT) and Tom Abbott (RI).
  • Conservation Cases - Develop more case studies detailing stories, through the "Cases of Conservation" class offered in NRC, from across the state of how landowners have protected their land through various diverse and creative ways.
  • Forest Education Workshops/presentations
  • Massachusetts Forester Licensing - Maintenance of web site of MA forester licensing information.
  • MA Forestry Best Management Practices manual
  • Connecting people and partners: a community approach to land conservation
  • Forest manager's guide to restoring old growth characteristics
  • Financial viability of land ownership. Taking results of past study and developing a peer reviewed article in collaboration with UMass and U of MN faculty
  • Conservation Literacy Index - collaborate with department faculty and a graduate student to develop an evaluation tool to measure conservation knowledge

Inputs: Time and Effort

Reporting Year
Faculty Days
Extension staff days
Volunteer Days
Seasonal/ Hourly/Tech Staff Days
Clerical staff days
Student days
200940180 00 0 0

Outcomes

  • Participants adopt land management practices that protect and enhance water, other natural resources and ecosystems
  • Participants develop the knowledge and skills to adopt land management practices that protect and enhance water, other natural resources and ecosystems
  • Participants promote, implement or participate in strategic land conservation programs that protect ecosystems, water and other natural resources
  • Participants develop the knowledge and skills to promote, implement or participate in strategic land conservation programs that protect ecosystems, water and other natural resources.

Extension program related to this project: Natural Resource & Environmental Conservation

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