Connecticut River Valley Connecticut River Valley WatershedWatershed

we are here

The Deerfield River meets the Connecticut river in Greenfield

Forests

Provide Wildlife Habitat

Goods and Resources

Carbon CycleReduce Greenhouse Gases

Provide cooler Human habitatShade in summer reduce need for air conditioning

Maintain our soils

Scenic landscapes and recreation

Protect our watershed

Serve as a buffering zone and filtering system

Source of biodiversity

Modern Forest

Original Forest

1830 to 1880Early Agriculture

Young hardwood forest

Abandonded Farmland-White Pine

History of our ForestHarvard Forest Dioramas

Reading our Landscap with TOPOS

Different Forest StrategiesDifferent Forest Strategies

Forested Vernal Pool

Greenfield Land Use

Forested land-47%Crop land- 11%Residential Land 20% Our local forests are aging.Our local forests are aging.

Our local forests are Our local forests are predominantly oak and pine, with predominantly oak and pine, with a lot of maple and beech too.a lot of maple and beech too.

Land Use

• • What uses are compatible? How intensively can we What uses are compatible? How intensively can we use forest resources and still expect the same uses use forest resources and still expect the same uses

in the future?in the future?

““Saving the trees” is actually harming Saving the trees” is actually harming the forest.the forest.

Having some “Scrags” is good, but too Having some “Scrags” is good, but too many is bad.many is bad.

Keeping a balanced biodiversity is key.Keeping a balanced biodiversity is key. New growth is important because it New growth is important because it

photosynthesizes better than old photosynthesizes better than old growth.growth.

To keep the forests production high, To keep the forests production high, use selective cutting.use selective cutting.

Selective Selective Cutting Cutting

Plantation ForestPlantation Forest

Traditional Forest Practices

Not one method work s independently

Critical Current Forest Critical Current Forest IssuesIssuesScott Sylvester Local forester all over Franklin County.

Top problems with New England ForestHabitat Fragmentation- animals cannot get to each other due to building homes.Strategies of home islands Invasives Multiflora Rose- Barberry- bittersweet, Garlic mustard is an allelopath- releasing chemicals to deter native species

Japanes barberry.. turkeys love it but it grows so densely that is inhibits any natural growth… “that is not good .. no matter if the turkeys love it”

Insect Pests- a) Hemlock wooly Adelgid B) Emrald Ash Borer

C) Long Horn Beetle that so devastated Worcesterd.

3 Climate Change- See the Maple Sugars decline $ maple sugaring offers to the North Woods….Red Oak Increase along with Southern Species move in which difficult to know.. all the issues until it happens.

Private Landowner-lumber Private Landowner-lumber

Old Forest… 100 years

Multi-Use Mixed Multi-Use Mixed ForestForest 

As a consultant- Scott Sylvesterdevised his own DI. “It is necessary to know what the homeowner wants; values, then you determine the best method of forestry.”

Dairy Cows

Wildlife-Birding

SugaringFuel wood

Forest Mgt plan 61 Forest Mgt plan 61 Current Use PracticesCurrent Use Practices

For Example- One landowner values wildlife habitat above all. So a site was chosen on open hilltop, where diseased and old tree species. Cleared for early successional habitat.. Perfect because of the poor soils on hilltop.

Tree Wardens of MassachusettsGreenfield Tree WardenPaul

What is Current Use?Massachusetts current use programs (Ch. 61, Ch. 61A, and Ch. 61B) were created to give preferential tax treatment to those landowners who maintain their property as open space for the purposes of timber production, agriculture or recreation. Chapter 61 was designed to classify forestland. Chapter 61A was designed to classify agricultural land which may include forestland and Chapter 61B was designed to classify recreational land which can also include forestland.

Lowering Taxes Forestland may be enrolled in either the Ch. 61 or Ch. 61A program and is taxed at the same rate. Taxes for those properties enrolled in Ch. 61/61A are determined based on the current use of the property (i.e., the productive potential of your land for growing trees), instead of the fair market or development value. Recommended current use values for forest land are set on an annual basis by the Farm Land Advisory Committee on or before February 1 of a given calendar year.

People Who ContributePeople Who Contribute

Martin's Farm in Greenfield, MAorganic certified373 Plain RoadGreenfield, MA

Kleeberg's Sugar HouseBernardston, Deerfield and Greenfield.

Greenfield Tree Warden- Paul Raskevitz

Sustainable Practices

Diversity as DeGraaf refers to is on a landscape level. So 15 acres is not a large patch. However; a 15 acre patch of a young even aged forest holds plenty of cover for many nesting\ brooding wildlife. Diversity within a stand beneficial as the stand grows.

Know your goals and your land

Goals- Marketing lumberWildlife HabitatRecreation

Quadrat Quadrat Sampling & Sampling & Simpson’s Simpson’s

Diversity IndexDiversity Index

Measure ecological variables (like abundance, species diversity or biomass) is by sampling with quadrats. Quadrats are small, identically-sized plots which are placed randomly over a study siteOur Quadrats measured 100 meters by 100 meters

Sustainable Practices for Wildlife HabitatDiversity as DeGraaf refers to is

on a landscape level. 15 acres is not a large patch. However; a 15 acre patch of a young even aged forest holds plenty of cover for many nesting\ brooding wildlife.

Diversity within a stand beneficial to more wildlife as the stand grows.

Incentives Chapter 61

How do we make decisions about forests and How do we make decisions about forests and our use of them? How can we protect this our use of them? How can we protect this

green infrastructure? Who are the resource green infrastructure? Who are the resource people and decision-makers? people and decision-makers?

The ultimate decision lies with the The ultimate decision lies with the landowner (Private, town, or state landowner (Private, town, or state

Many private landowners and the state and Many private landowners and the state and towns use consulting foresters to inform towns use consulting foresters to inform them about what to do with their forests.them about what to do with their forests.

Some local consulting foresters in our town Some local consulting foresters in our town and area areand area are

We interviewed Tom Brule, Mike Maurie of We interviewed Tom Brule, Mike Maurie of Mt Grace Land Trust and Franklin County Mt Grace Land Trust and Franklin County forester Scott Sylvester forester Scott Sylvester

How do we use forests? What How do we use forests? What ecosystem services do trees and ecosystem services do trees and forests provide to our particular forests provide to our particular

community?community?

• In our community the forests are sustainably logged.

• Many people use their logged hardwood like oak and maple for cord wood

• Local wood is higher quality than plantation wood that is shipped in from far away.

• Using local wood keeps fossil fuel use down which keeps the air cleaner, in turn keeping forests healthier. .

•People like Michael Humphries purchase local wood for use in his local woodworking shop.

Multi-Use Mixed forest Tree Farm Initiative

Going forward, how can we best manage our use of Going forward, how can we best manage our use of the forest in our communities? How can we be the forest in our communities? How can we be

involved?involved? For the future, having a good mixed use forests For the future, having a good mixed use forests

is the goal.is the goal. Listening to professional foresters is a great Listening to professional foresters is a great

way to manage the forests sustainably.way to manage the forests sustainably. We can be involved by advocating for people We can be involved by advocating for people

who are logging unsustainably and not treating who are logging unsustainably and not treating the forests properly to get educated of the land the forests properly to get educated of the land by foresters, so that future generations may by foresters, so that future generations may enjoy the forests monetarily and for their enjoy the forests monetarily and for their natural servicenatural service. .

How will changing climate affect Massachusetts How will changing climate affect Massachusetts forests and the ecosystem services they provide?forests and the ecosystem services they provide?

The trees will be less healthy because of The trees will be less healthy because of the extremely high levels of CO2 and O3.the extremely high levels of CO2 and O3.

Due to less healthy trees, the lumber from Due to less healthy trees, the lumber from them will be of lower quality.them will be of lower quality.

The trees will not live as long because of The trees will not live as long because of the pour air quality, making old growth the pour air quality, making old growth more uncommon.more uncommon.

The forests will migrate to the cooler The forests will migrate to the cooler northern climate when our climate warms, northern climate when our climate warms, just like they did after the last glaciers left just like they did after the last glaciers left New England.New England.

Solutions?Solutions?Communithy Service Communithy Service

EducationEducation

Highland Pond Nature Trail

Education

Shattuck Park Nature Guide

Urban Parks

Where You'll Find UsKleeberg's Sugar House in Greenfield, MA

Kleeberg's Sugar House is run by Brian Kleeberg. 343 Adams RoadGreenfield, MA map | farms nearby3 miles from Greenfield, MA 01301(413) 834-4333 preferred

A little about Kleeberg's Sugar HouseWe tap 2,500 trees in Bernardston, Deerfield and Greenfield. Open to the public. Please call ahead to schedule your visit or order syrup. Find us on Facebook!Honey + MapleMaple Syrup

Whole clearcutting deplete the site resouresWhole clearcutting deplete the site resouresPartial havesting (BMP) avoids water quality Partial havesting (BMP) avoids water quality problems and nutrien loss. problems and nutrien loss.

Marketable LumberMarketable LumberMass Woodland CooperativeMass Woodland Cooperative

Wood is a preferred material for many of the items we consume in our daily lives. Its many uses include; the daily newspaper, mail-order catalogs, lumber and building materials, furniture, cardboard packaging of consumer products, and in the shipping pallets that almost all of our goods are transported on.

Wood consumption in Massachusetts is estimated at over 13 million cubic meters annually but harvests from state timberland amounts to only 300,000 cubic meters. One goal of the MWC is to help Massachusetts become more self-sufficient in it’s consumption of wood products.

University of Massachusetts Amherst Department of Resource Economics Working Paper No. 2005-6

Mobile societey = low knowledege and Mobile societey = low knowledege and management strategymanagement strategy

Much of the re-generated forests of Massachusetts has grown up un-managed. Forest stands are often too densely stocked and contain a high portion of low-grade trees. Land ownership patterns have decreased the average tenure of forest properties. In our increasingly mobile society, property changes ownership more frequently