ACTION ALERT

 

TROUBLESOME RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING PRIVATELY OWNED LANDS TO BE DISCUSSED AT PUBLIC FORUMS

 

Your voice is needed now to combat a concerted effort to restrict forest management and wildlife habitat management on state lands that will extend to your private land. 

 

In response to complaints from vocal opponents of forest management, the state has initiated a “Forest Visions” process that will result in recommendations that will impact both public and private forestlands. 

 

The process is also being used as a backdoor entry for stricter regulatory changes to Ch. 132 – the Forest Cutting Practices Act – the rules that effect how you harvest wood from your private property.

 

If the proponents of these efforts are successfully, it will negatively impact your livelihood and your ability to practice responsible forestry in Massachusetts. 

 

Please make your voice heard on this important topic.  People who depend upon the responsible management of our state forests or who have private forestland must show up in force at the upcoming forest forums being held across the state by the Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Massachusetts Office of Dispute Resolution (see below for times and locations). 

 

Public Forums on Technical Steering Committee Draft Recommendations to DCR on the Stewardship and Management of DCR State Forest Lands

 

Thursday, February 4, 2010  6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Westborough Public Library - Meeting Room 55 West Main Street, Westborough, MA 01581

(Snow date: Tuesday, February 16)

 

Saturday, February 6, 2010  10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon  

North Adams Public Library - Community Room 74 Church Street, North Adams, MA 01247

(Snow date: Saturday, February 13)

 

Saturday, February 6, 2010  2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Berkshire Community College - Melville Hall, Room 201
1350 West Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201

(Snow date: Saturday, February 13)

 

Tuesday, February 9, 2010  5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Jones Library - Large Meeting Room 43
Amity Street, Amherst, MA 01002

 

Thursday, February 11, 2010  5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Taunton Public Library - Auditorium

12 Pleasant Street, Taunton, MA 02780

(Snow date: Thursday, February 18)

If you cannot attend please send a letter and also urge your local, regional, and state organizations to do the same.

 

Letters should be addressed to:

William Logue

Mass Office of Dispute Resolution

UMass Boston

100 Morrissey Blvd.

McCormick Building, 1^st Floor, Room 627

Boston, MA 02125-3393

 

Forum attendees and letter writers may want to emphasize these points:

 

• The original focus of this process was only on DCR forest lands, but the end result is recommendations for all state lands, and for private forestlands.  Because of this change in focus many affected stakeholder groups were not represented.

 

• The report is biased against consumptive uses of forest resources without providing any basis for this bias.  It assumes that active management is detrimental to other desired benefits but does not substantiate that belief or provide any evidence that it is so.

 

• Forest harvesting in Massachusetts is already governed by the most comprehensive forestry and environmental laws in the eastern United States and meets the highest standards for responsible forest management.  We do not need stricter regulations.

 

• Halting or reducing harvesting on DCR forests will have a negative economic impact on rural communities.  Jobs will be lost, businesses will be closed, and the indirect economic benefit of harvesting activity will be lost.

 

• Harvesting on DCR forests benefits me by providing responsibly grown and harvested forest products. 

 

• I support a cultural change in DCR that creates a more transparent, accountable, and inclusive process for forest management of state lands.

 

For a fuller list of talking points CLICK HERE for a printable PDF Document

 

 

For the full set of recommendations proposed see: http://www.mass.gov/dcr/news/publicmeetings/tsc_draft_recommendations.htm. 

 

If we do not act now all those who depend upon state forests will lose a valuable resource and the proponents of this action will increase their attention to other public and protected open spaces and private lands. 

 

We must show that there is diverse and enthusiastic support for scientific forest and wildlife management in Massachusetts.

 

If you have any questions or plan to attend one of the forums or send a letter, please contact Kent Lage, Director of Forestry Programs at 508-881-4766 or kent@mfbf.net