In the News:
- JOBS listing from MassLand (doc)
- Public meeting to hear General Electric’s ideas for the "Rest of the River"
- Funding Available for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Projects
- Woodcock Habitat Initiative announced
- Comments on Mass Wildlife Forest Management Plans due February 16th
- Comment on DCR’s Forest Cutting Comment Policy by March 16th
- Comments on DCR Draft Forest Management Plan for Western Mass. Forests due March 16
- New Management for Wildlife Book Now Available
- Mass. Wildlife Action Plan approved!
- Wind Power in the Wild
- Natural Resource Damages Updated Schedule
- Berkshire Grown Names New Director
- Community Preservation Act II
- ELM’s 2008 Green Budget
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Environmental Monitor
Public Notices Alphabeticallyby town
Advocacy News (Includes how to reach your legislators)
DEP Enforcement Actions In The Berkshires
Public meeting to hear General Electric’s ideas for the "Rest of the River"
There will be a public meeting of the Citizens’ Coordinating Council, General Electric Company(GE), US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
Tuesday, March 6, 2007 at from 5:30 to 8 PM,
at Berkshire South Community Center
on Chrissy Rd in Great Barrington MA.
The meeting will focus on a presentation and discussion of GE’s Corrective Measures Study proposal for the Rest of River project. There will be a second meeting with the same agenda in Kent, CT at the Town Hall on Wednesday, March 7, 2007at 6 PM.
Funding Available for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Projects
The USDA has $23 million available for loans, loan guarantees and grants to farmers, ranchers and rural businesses to purchase renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements. Grants may not exceed 25 percent of the total project cost and may range from $2,500 to $500,000.
The USDA and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission are holding a 2 hour workshop about applying for the renewable energy funding at PVPC’s headquarters in West Springfield on February 15th from 9:30 to 11:30 am. To register for the workshop, or find out more about the grant program, contact Catherine Miller at 413 781-6045 or email [email protected]
WOODCOCK HABITAT INITIATIVE ANNOUNCED – from MassWildlife
The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, Ruffed Grouse Society, Wildlife Management Institute and Cowls Land and Lumber Company of North Amherst have teamed up in a habitat partnership to join the American Woodcock Initiative. The Initiative’s goal is to focus habitat management efforts to benefit American woodcock and other declining wildlife populations through maintenance of field and shrubland habitats and the creation of young forest habitat in Massachusetts.
Young forest habitat makes up less than 5% of forest habitat types in the state. It consists of densely growing stands of young seedling and sapling trees typically no more than 30 years old. This type of habitat establishes itself in areas after major disturbances such as heavy wind or ice storms, fires, flooding or by certain types of timber harvest techniques. Woodcock, as well as New England cottontails, chestnut sided warblers and wood turtles are among the species which depend on young forest habitats for all or parts of their lives. The lack of young forest habitat has contributed to declines of these species throughout southern New England.
Private landowners own more than 80% of the forested land in Massachusetts. Historically, they have managed their forest lands through partial cutting of mature trees. On a large scale landscape, this cutting practice has resulted in the older, mature forest stands currently seen in much of Massachusetts.
Wildlife and forest ecologists have long known that certain forestry practices such as clear cutting achieve many of the same benefits of natural disturbances and are an effective means of creating young forests. With advice and assistance from the Woodcock Initiative Partners, clear cuts will take place in carefully selected forested areas on Cowls property. This will create much needed young forest habitat benefiting woodcock populations as well as other wildlife.
“It was kind of counter-intuitive to me at first,” admits Cinda Jones, 9th generation co-owner and President of Cowls Land and Lumber Company. “We’ve always been praised for selectively cutting areas and never clear cutting. Through this partnership, I’ve learned that sometimes larger openings are what some wildlife species require for survival. We’ve always worked hard to do the right thing environmentally and to assure long term benefits to our forests, fish and wildlife. It’s gratifying to take our efforts a few steps further through this partnership.”
“Under the Jones family’s leadership, Cowls’ philosophy of enlightened forest management integrates strong environmental stewardship into the business of providing locally harvested forest products,” said Paul Karczmarczyk, Regional Wildlife Biologist of the Ruffed Grouse Society. “This project builds on that proud history by addressing the lack of young forest habitat across the New England landscape, one of the most critical forest wildlife problems in our region. The outputs of this effort will not only benefit declining woodcock, ruffed grouse and other forest songbird populations, but will build a solid habitat foundation for the recovery of rare and threatened forest biota like New England cottontails, wood turtles, the large-leafed goldenrod and golden-winged warblers.”
The Division of Fisheries and Wildlife has long recognized that restoring and maintaining habitat is essential to perpetuating Massachusetts’ native wildlife and has been directing efforts towards wildlife habitat protection, restoration and management. “The Division has a goal of maintaining or creating young forest habitat on 15-20% of its own properties. Ideally, we would like to see that same percentage applied across all forest lands in the state.” said George Darey, Chairman of the Fisheries and Wildlife Board. “It is our hope that by reaching out to large private landowners such as Cowls; working with them on similar wildlife habitat projects, we will reverse declining trends in wildlife species in need of conservation for generations to come.”
Funding for the Woodcock Initiative comes from the Wildlife Management Institute (WMI), a private, nonprofit, scientific and educational organization dedicated to the conservation, enhancement and professional management of North America’s wildlife and other natural resources. “The Cowls partnership with the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife is an excellent example of the type of partnership that we are promoting in Massachusetts and other northeastern states with important woodcock nesting ranges. Recovery of woodcock populations will rely upon private landowners having the knowledge and resources to improve their lands as habitat,” says Scot Williamson, Vice President of the Wildlife Management Institute. In an effort to communicate the importance of forest management for young forest habitat, the Wildlife Management Institute tinkered with Cowls Lumber’s popular “got wood?” bumper sticker and produced a new sticker that reads “got woodcock?” listing the project’s partners and mission. The “got woodcock?” bumper stickers may be obtained by sending a self addressed stamped envelope to the Wildlife Management Institute, 69 Clinton Avenue, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819.
Comments on Mass Wildlife Forest Management Plans due February 16th
Taconic Mountains and Marble Valley Forest Management Zone (FMZ) and the Berkshire Highlands Forest Management Zone. Both management plans integrate principles of MassWildlife’s Biodiversity Initiative and addresses Forest Stewardship Certification (FSC) “Green Certification” requirements for habitat management planning on state forest and wildlife lands. The plans are posted on the MassWildlife website. Interested citizens, conservationists and natural resource professionals are encouraged to submit written comments postmarked by February 16, 2007 to: John Scanlon, MassWildlife Forest Project Leader, MassWildlife Field HQ, Westborough, MA 01581.
The draft Taconic Mountains & Marble Valley FMZ plan provides a summary and assessment of forest resources on over 6,600 acres of MassWildlife lands in western Berkshire County, and describes long term forest monitoring and management goals for those lands over the next two decades. Forest management activities include active management activities such as timber sales to create or enhance young forest habitat and passive management such as forest reserves identification to establish biologically mature forest habitat. A revised draft plan for Berkshire Highlands FMZ covers 34,000 acres of DFW lands in central and eastern Berkshire County. An initial draft of this plan was posted for public review in August 2005, and comments were received until December 2, 2005. Many of the public comments received are reflected in the revised draft.
MassWildlife’s Forest Management Program is an integral part of MassWildife’s Biodiversity Initiative, a habitat based approach to address the needs of wildlife in greatest need of conservation. MassWildlife Forest Management Program activities include mapping of forest and non-forest cover types, inventory of timber and other wood product volume, biological monitoring of plant and animal populations, timber harvesting to provide young forest habitat, and establishment of forest reserves to secure mature forest habitat. Ruffed grouse, chestnut-sided warbler and New England cottontail are examples of wildlife benefiting from MassWildife’s forest management activities.
Comment on DCR’s Forest Cutting Comment Policy by March 16th
The Department of Conservation & Recreations has developed a new policy concerning public participation and comment concerning proposed timber harvests on DCR lands. The policy is a result of the clamor over proposed harvests on DCR lands at the Notch in Amherst, Robinson State Park in Agawam and elsewhere.
This policy is intended to provide guidance on DCR, Bureau of Forestry internal review and public notice of and comment on forest management plan implementation (forest cutting) projects.
Comments concerning the proposed Public Outreach and Consultation for Forest Cutting Plans Policy are due Friday, March 16. More information is available on the website.
Please submit comments c/o Marcelle Valentin via email at [email protected] or via mail at:
Marcelle Valentin
Department of Conservation and Recreation
251 Causeway Street, Suite 600
Boston, MA 02114
Comments on DCR Draft Forest Management Plan for Western Mass. Forests due March 16
The Department of Conservation & Recreation has published draft forest management plans for the Northern Berkshire, Southern Berkshire and Western Connecticut Valley Regions.
DCR will be accepting public comments postmarked by March 16, 2007.
Please clearly state which planning area (Northern and Southern Berkshire and Western Connecticut Valley District) you are commenting on and mail all comments to attn:
Kris Massini
DCR-Bureau of Forestry
PO Box 1433
Pittsfield,
MA 01202
or via e-mail: [email protected].
If you need a hard copy of the document, please contact Kris Massini.
New Management for Wildlife Book Now Available
The University Press of New England just published the new Technical Guide to Forest Wildlife Habitat Management in New England,
By Richard M. DeGraaf, Mariko Yamasaki, William Leak, and Anna Lester. This guide would be very helpful to those interested in managing New England forest for wildlife.
For more information visit the University Press of New England.
Massachusetts Wildlife Action Plan approved!
Massachusetts Teaming With Wildlife announced that the Massachusetts State Wildlife Action Plan has been officially approved by US Fish and Wildlife!
To see the Massachusetts Wildlife Action Plan, visit http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/cwcs/dfw_cwcs.htm or see a brief summary at www.statewildlife.nwf.org/ma.
What that means is we now need to start work on funding its implementation. Please join the Teaming with Wildlife Coalition is to show decision makers how important wildlife habitat protection is in Massachusetts. We now need your help— Action Alert! Call the Secretary of Environmental Affairs and your State Representative! (takes you to more information and phone numbers)
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact Megan!
Megan Amundson
Legislative Director
Environmental League of Massachusetts
14 Beacon Street, Suite 714
Boston, MA 02108
617-742-2553
[email protected]
Wind Power in the Wild
There will be a public forum on siting of wind power with panelists representing both wind power and land conservation–"Wind Power in the Wild" at the upcoming Northeast Sustainable Energy Association’s Building Energy Conference in Boston.
Here’s the information: http://buildingenergy.nesea.org/highlights.php
Wind Power in the Wild
Tuesday, March 13 at 6:00 p.m. in the Amphitheater at the Seaport World Trade Center. FREE.
Panelists: Bill McKibben, author, Michael Kellett, RESTORE, Eleanor Tillinghast, Green Berkshires, Inc., Steven Terry, Green Mountain Power
Moderator: Jim Braude, TV & radio host
Moderated by Jim Braude, Host of NECN’s NewsNight and Wired and Co-host of Eagen and Braude, 96.6 FM Talk. Join us as wilderness and renewable energy advocates discuss how to achieve ecological AND energy security in the Northeast. If the fundamental purpose of renewable energy is to lighten our load on the earth, then energy advocates must consider how these “cleaner, greener” sources of energy affect wildlife and ecological systems. Conversely, land conservation and wilderness advocates must determine what level of ecological impact is acceptable if renewable energy is to become more than a mere novelty in the context of our changing climate and resource limitations.
Natural Resource Damages Updated Schedule
The MA SubCouncil has strived to maintain an expedited schedule as discussed at the September 2006 MA SubCouncil Public Meeting. However, the MA SubCouncil has experienced delays and is still developing the list of Proposed Alternatives to receive NRD funding. The time period for developing such a list was extended due to a period of discussions, from October thru mid-January 2007, between the Housatonic River Trustees for USFWS and EOEA regarding the potential for consideration of additional projects as requested by the EOEA Secretary in October 2006. The MA SubCouncil has recently determined that these additional projects will not be considered for funding as part of the Round 1 Restoration. At this time, the current schedule is anticipated as follows:
March 2007 – Draft Restoration Plan released & Public Comment period begins
April 2007 – Public Meeting
April 2007 – 30-day Public Comment period ends
June 2007 – Final Restoration Plan released
Summer-Fall 2007 – Scope of Work developed for projects and contracts executed
A refined schedule will be discussed in further detail as posted on this website and at the future Public Meeting. We apologize to the extent this schedule may affect the ability to fund restoration project activities during the 2007 field-season. For more information go to NRDs website.
Berkshire Grown Names New Director
(from Berkshire Recored, January 26-February1, 2007)
Great Barrington-Berkshire Grown, an organization that promotes local agriculture as a vital part of a healthy Berkshire economy, has named Barbara Zheutlin as its new Exectutive Director.
Ms. Zheutlin replaces Danielle Mullen, who has been Berkshire Grown’s Executive Director since April 2004. Ms. Mullen is resigning so she can spend more time with her new baby.
Barbara Zheutlin has been a member of the Berkshire Grown board since April 2006. She is also a co-founder of Share the Bounty, an organization that raises funds to purchase shares in local farms that are donated to food pantries. Last year, Berkshire Grown became the fiscal agent for Share the Bounty. As Berkshire Grown’s new director Ms. Zheutlin will continue to oversee Share the Bounty.
"…the importance of small farms far exceeds their visual charm. At a time of energy shortages, when our food is becoming increasingly industrialized and vulnerable to disruption, we must encourage our community to support local farmers," Zheutlin said. "If we want to maintain our rural landscape, some of it must produce food we can eat. This is a cause I am committed to. We must bring our farms to our schools, to our food pantries, and to our tables."
CPA II
The Community Planning Act will be filed in the state legislature by January 10, 2007. This state zoning and land use reform bill is essentially the same as it appeared in the 2006 legislative session, with the exception of four additional amendments. (The amendments concern zoning variances, special permit approval, special permit duration, and modifications to subdivision plans.)
If you have questions about the bill, please feel free to contact Don Keeran, the Coordinator for the Coalition for Zoning Reform:
Don Keeran, Coordinator
Coalition for Zoning Reform
Toll Free: 1-877-955-4142
[email protected]
ELM’s 2008 Green Budget
The Environmental League of Massachusetts has released their Green Budget 2008 (pdf) with recommendations on how much money should be allocated to various environmental budget lines for the next fiscal year (2008). The Green Budget 2008 has been endorsed by 50 conservation and health organizations across the state, with recommendations for the Environmental Affairs budget.
In the Green Budget are recommendations to provide $1 million for the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP) within the Department of Fish and Game to help implement the Wildlife Action Plan.
In the FY2004 budget the NHESP lost all of its operating funding from the state, which had amounted to around $800,000 a year. It now functions on only a combination of bond money, voluntary donations from Massachusetts residents in the form of a check-off box on the state income tax return, and federal funds.
NHESP is one of the programs within MassWildlife that implements the State Wildlife Action Plan. In order to continue to receive federal funding to implement our Action Plan, the state must match dollar for dollar what the federal government is willing to provide, which was around $900,000 in FY2007.
Much of the $1 million recommended in the Green Budget for NHESP would qualify for the agency’s federal match to implement the Wildlife Action Plan.
You may contact your legislators to give them your views on this plan. Click on their name to email or give them a call.
Senator Benjamin Downing 413-442-4008
1st Berkshire District Representative Daniel Bosley 413-663-7486
2nd Berkshire District Representative Denis Guyer 413-684-0033
3rd Berkshire District Representative Christopher Speranzo 413-447-7225
4th Berkshire District Representative Smitty Pignatelli 413-243-5534
By supporting $1 million for the Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program, Massachusetts could receive matching Federal money to implement the State Wildlife Action Plan.
See ELM’s explanation of the Massachusetts Budget Process or
Mass Audubon’s explanation of the Massachusetts Budget Process as a pdf or go to their Legislative Primer webpage and select Massachusetts Budget Process.