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FOREST RECERTIFICATION: PUBLIC COMMENT INVITED 10/30/09 - 11/30/09

As part of the forest management certification process, the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) is seeking public comments during a 30-day period regarding the measures the agency is taking to apply for Forest Stewardship Council certification. Attaining Forest Certification by the FSC is a professional acknowledgement that the landowner is practicing responsible forest management which is environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable. The certification process involves thorough independent audits of forest management practices, and requires extensive public review of the forest management planning process.

Since November of 2008 the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) has been involved in re-certifying its forest management efforts on state wildlife lands with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Originally, in 2004, all state fee-owned wildlife lands under the management control of DFW were certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. FSC certification must be renewed every 5 years. Based on an audit earlier this year, the FSC noted the requirement that only lands with publicly reviewed management plans are eligible for re-certification.

As a consequence of the FSC requirement, DFW has chosen to submit a subset of wildlife lands (44,000 acres) eligible for recertification. These properties are located in the Berkshire Highlands and Taconic Mountains Forest Management Zones (FMZ) for which there are already publicly reviewed forest management plans. Information about these FMZ Plans are posted.

The Division has also identified lands in other FMZ's across the state which will be submitted for certification in the future pending public review of the forest management plans. Lastly, a list of properties identified as inappropriate for any forest recertification was also developed. Factors in determining this list included: facility development (boat launch sites, offices and hatcheries), non-forested lands (salt marshes, roadside corridors, sand dunes) or lands not under DFW management control such as the Mass. Military Reservation. Information about these categories of properties is posted.

The public comment period is October 30, 2009 - November 30, 2009. The Division is specifically seeking public comments relative to the above described approach they are using to apply for forest certification from the Forest Stewardship Council.

Public comments may be emailed to Mass.Wildlife@state.ma.us, or sent via postal mail to "Forest Certification Comments", MassWildlife, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA 01581.

MassWildlife will post a summary of all comments received, and describe any action to be taken by DFW in response to comments received on its website on or about December 15, 2009.