Sustainable Forest Management
The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) coordinates and supports projects within its three departments that collectively manage over 500,000 acres of forest land across the state to independently evaluate these lands for the highest standards of sustainable forest management. EEA also supports the highest standards for forest management on the state's more than two million acres of private forest land.
Forest Management on State Lands
Coordination of forest management activities among the three EEA land management agencies is accomplished through an "ecoregion" planning process, whereby ecological and sociological assessments and subsequent management guidelines are developed. The ecoregion documents help guide the development of land management plans for individual state-owned properties.
Green Certification
Forest Reserves
One end result of Green Certification is the identification of "forest reserves" on approximately 20% state land where commercial harvesting will not occur. State forestland that is not within a reserve (approximately 80% of state forestland) will remain open to sustainable harvesting of renewable wood products. The sustainable harvest of renewable wood products provides a range of important forest-age classes throughout the landscape that help conserve biological diversity. In addition, sustainable harvesting on state forestlands supports rural economies in Massachusetts by providing jobs for loggers and mill workers. Renewable wood products, including those produced from harvesting operations on state forestlands, are used by all residents of the Commonwealth.
Forest Management Initiatives
Over the past two years EEA has also been working with a diverse coalition of organizations to move important forest initiatives forward. Through a series of five Forest Forums, a group of 35 individuals, representing forest landowners, private foresters, timber harvesters, mill owners, land trusts, and environmental advocates, have been involved in several forest initiatives including: revisions to the Current Use Forest Tax Law Program (Chapter 61); activations of the State Forestry Committee; recommendations for the state's Working Forest/Forest Reserves proposal; and recommendations for the state's Chapter 61 and Forest Stewardship Green Certification effort.
Forest Management on Private Lands
EEA also supports the highest standards for forest management on the state's more than two million acres of private forest land by funding forest stewardship plans for interested private landowners. Through an extensive outreach effort, DCR's Forest Stewardship Program has sent educational materials to nearly 15,000 landowners who collectively own 685,000 acres or 1/3 of the state's private forest land. Over the past three and one half years, this project has completed 760 forest stewardship plans on more than 51,000 acres of forests. Each plan is completed by a private professional forester who works closely with the landowner to meet the landowner's goals by utilizing sustainable forest management practices. Landowners commit to implement these plans and keep their land in forest cover for a 10 year period. At a cost to the state of about $17 per acre, this is an excellent tool to help conserve forest land and increase sustainable forest management.
Forestry Grants & Loans
Forestry Programs
EEA and its agencies supplies support and guidance to ensure sustainable forest management practices.
Forestry Resources & Documents (DCR)
Links to forestry-related resources including "Amendments to Chapter 61 / 61A / 61B" and and other laws, regulations, and policies from the Department of Conservation and Recreation.