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.
Download the What are Forest Reserves? report
What are Forest Reserves?
Forest reserves are portions of state lands where commercial harvesting of wood products is excluded in order to capture elements of biodiversity that can be missing from sustainably harvested sites.
Why are Reserves important?
Reserves allow people to experience and to understand how forest ecosystems function when timber and other wood products that are normally extracted for human use remain in place.
What activities will occur in Reserves?
Each matrix reserve will have an operational plan established with opportunities for public input to clearly define what activities will and will not occur, and to determine in advance how managers will coordinate with local officials in response to events like wildfires, pest and pathogen outbreaks, extensive blowdowns, and other natural disturbance events.
How big should Reserves be?
Patch reserves will typically be relatively small (tens or hundreds of acres) and will be defined by the extent of the unique resources (rare species, steep slopes, etc.) intended for conservation.
Forest Reserves on State Wildlife Lands
Reserves can be used to conserve small, isolated resources (e.g., particular rare species habitats, sites with fragile, highly erodable soils), and to conserve extensive representative portions of the diversity of relatively un-fragmented forest ecosystems that occur in Massachusetts today. Learn more from the Department of Fish and Game.