News from Massachusetts Forest Update, March 2007 (An online newsletter about forest happenings in Massachusetts)
New Chapter 61 Law goes into Effect on March 22nd
The Chapter 61 Reform law, Chapter 394 of the Acts of 2006, becomes law on March 22nd and most of its provisions will take effect as of that date. One notable exception is the change of how woodlands are valued under Chapter 61. The provision to change forest valuation from a percentage of full market value to a value based on site productivity for growing trees will likely not go into effect until July 2008 as the Forest and Farmland Advisory Committee must first develop suitable values for different sites and productivity levels around the state.
Nathan L’Etoile of Mass. Farm Bureau Federation, has produced a chart explaining how the different sections of the laws have changed and what the new law contains. If you’d like to get a copy of the chart, email Greg Cox at gcox@crocker.com .
Wood Producers Members Meeting Will Focus on Proposed Logging Regulation Changes
The Massachusetts Wood Producers Association will hold a members meeting and dinner at the Bluebonnet Restaurant in Northampton on Friday March 30th. The meeting will include a presentation about the changes proposed for the Forest Cutting Act (Chapter 132) regulations governing logging and seek input from loggers about the proposals. The meeting will also feature presentation of the Wood Producers Annual Award for service to the forest community, and election of officers for the coming year.
The meeting will begin with a social hour from 5 to 6 pm, dinner at 6, and then the 2 hour program. Foresters and Loggers should get CEUs awarded for attendance.
Cost of the dinner is $23 for members, $18 for spouses or guests. Reservations are due by March 27th. If you have questions or want to make a late reservation, call Greg Cox at 413 339-5526 or email gcox@crocker.com
Pine Shoot Beetles Found in Connecticut
Pine shoot beetle (Tomicus piniperda) has been confirmed in Connecticut and Massachusetts for the first time this past year.
Pine shoot beetle is an introduced pest from Europe that attacks both healthy and stressed pine trees and may cause significant damage. This non-native pest continues to extend its range through New England , New York , Pennsylvania , West Virginia , and the north central states. Information on pine shoot beetle can be found on a number of websites, including:
USDA APHIS
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/ispm/psb/
Massachusetts Introduced Pests Outreach Project
http://massnrc.org/pests/pestFAQsheets/pineshootbeetle.html
USDA Forest Service
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/pest_al/shootbeetle/shootbeetle.htm
Cornell University
http://ppathw3.cals.cornell.edu/trees/CPSBeetle.html
Woodcock Habitat Initiative Begun
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.
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.
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 .
Annual Harvard Forest Ecology Symposium March 27th
Harvard Forest will hold its annual Forest Ecology Symposium at the Fisher Museum on Tuesday March 27th. The title of the symposium is "Expanding horizons in long-term ecological research: synthesis across the New England region and disciplinary boundaries".
Confirmed speakers and topics include:
- David Foster, Harvard Forest - Expanding Horizons in Long-term Ecological Research
- Brian Donahue, Brandeis University - Agrarian Landscapes in Transition: Cross-Scale Approaches with Application to Conservation
- David Kittredge, University of Massachusetts - Woodland Owner Behavior and Change in the Forest
- David Orwig, Harvard Forest - Ecological and Management Implications of Hemlock Salvage Logging
- Bill Munger, Harvard University Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Regional Observations of Forest-Atmosphere Exchange
- Bill Sobczak, Holy Cross College - Carbon Dynamics in a Hemlock-Dominated Stream Ecosystem
- Emery Boose, Harvard Forest - Hydrological and Analytical Networks
For more information about the program, or to make a reservation, see http://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/symposium/2007symp.html
Reservations are due by March 13th.
DCR Announces New Off-Road Vehicle Policy
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) announced on February 23rd a new policy on Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) use on DCR properties. DCR’s lands include the seven state forests where the use of OHVs, including all-terrain vehicles and off-road motorcycles, is legally permitted.
The policy consists of a new set of criteria that will be used to evaluate the appropriateness of a given property for motorized recreation. At its February 2 meeting, DCR's oversight board, the Stewardship Council, approved the new policy and added a requirement that the agency also develop a plan within the next six months to address enforcement issues.
The criteria were developed over the course of a year by DCR and the OHV Working Group, an advisory council consisting of trail users, environmental scientists, state and federal land management agencies, and other concerned citizens. Other participants in the process included The Nature Conservancy and the New England Trail Riders Association. Drafts of the criteria were presented at public meetings across the Commonwealth in February and March of 2006, and more than 130 written comments were also received during the public comment period.
DCR currently maintains approximately 200 miles of motorized recreation trails in seven Massachusetts state forests. The new criteria provide a consistent framework for evaluating these and other locations for motorized recreation. The criteria were designed to ensure, among other things, the protection of natural resources (such as wetlands, water supply areas, wildlife habitat and forest reserves), proper coordination with local communities, and public safety.
DCR will work with law enforcement agencies and various stakeholders on the enforcement plan, which will be presented to the Stewardship Council for a vote by early August. Updates on the development of the plan will be posted on DCR’s website, http://www.mass.gov/dcr as it progresses.
Detailed information on the siting criteria can be found at http://www.mass.gov/dcr/recreate/orv.htm. For more information, contact DCR at 617-626-4973 or mass.parks@state.ma.us
Oak Trees Available
This spring the town of Hadley Shade Tree Committee and the Sheffield Tree Project are working together to make available a beautiful selection of 1"+ to 3"+ caliper oaks. These trees have all been pruned yearly for strong central leaders and are in perfect health. They will be spaded, burlapped, and caged on March 31st, and will be available on that day for pickup.
The trees will be offered free to communities and non-profits planting trees in the public viewshed. It will be necessary however to reimburse the Sheffield Tree Project for the cost of spading and B&B materials (approximately $75-$100 per tree depending on size). These are truly magnificent specimens grown in great soil, and well loved. To make arrangements to obtain trees or for more information please contact Kris Covey of the Sheffield Tree Project at 518-321-3706 or email kcovey@tek2000.net
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