Missouri’s Forest Resource Assessment - An Overview for NASF -

Lisa AllenState Forester

Missouri Department of Conservation

Key Components of Missouri’s Assessment

• Identification of Issue Themes

• Forest Opportunity Areas

12 Key Issue Themes• Issue Theme 1: Private Forest Landowner Demographic Trends, and

Corresponding Land Use Changes• Issue Theme 2: Challenges & Opportunities for Private Forest Landowners• Issue Theme 3: Climate Change• Issue Theme 4: Maintaining High Quality Soil and Water Resources• Issue Theme 5: The Role of Fire in Missouri’s Forests• Issue Theme 6: Growth, Harvest and Consumption of Forest Products• Issue Theme 7: Exotic and Invasive Plants, Animals and Diseases, and other

Forest Health Threats• Issue Theme 8: Role of Trees/Forests in Making Cities More Livable and

Sustainable• Issue Theme 9: Public Lands which Provide Multiple Benefits • Issue Theme 10: Maintaining Biodiversity (Wildlife Diversity)• Issue Theme 11: Public Awareness of Forests and their Benefits & Services• Issue Theme 12: Legal, Institutional and Economic Consideration

Key Component: Issue Themes–Synopsis–Desired Future Conditions–Conditions, trends, threats and

opportunities related to achieving DFC’s–Tie-ins to other existing plans

– Example:Issue #1: Private Forest Landowner Demographics Trends, and Corresponding Land Use Changes

Our Methodology for Delineating Rural and Urban “Forest Opportunity Areas”

Definitions:Forest Opportunity Area (FOA) = Areas in the state, including both forested areas and areas well suited to reforestation, which present Missouri’s best opportunities for sustaining forest resources and the benefits and services derived from them.

Priority Forest Landscape (PFL)= A large landscape (generally >10,000 acres) of concentrated FOA.

Step One: Forest Opportunity Model

¼ acre grid cells are evaluated w/ 8 Data Sets:

1. Biodiversity2. Forest Productivity/Carbon Sequestration 3. Soil and Water Conservation4. Recreation/Social Values5. Forest Patch Size6. Current Harvest Pressure7. Insect and Disease Vulnerability8. Housing Density Projections

Step Two: Delineate Priority Forest Landscapes

1. Forest Opportunity Model is applied to 12 Digit HUC watersheds.

2. A few additional areas are pulled in which uniquely promote the Seven Criterion of Sustainability.

Delineating Urban Forest Opportunity Areas

Urban Forest Opportunity Area = Metropolitan area which stands to gain the most from “urban” strategies.

(In Progress)

Working with Partners and Stakeholders

Lessons Learned from our Stakeholder Meetings:

• Conduct an internal trial run.• Set realistic expectations.• Focus on stakeholder feedback rather than providing

outreach.• Don’t assume your agency already has all of the

answers. Even if you do, it is highly informative to learn what stakeholders are thinking.

• Provide multiple opportunities for feedback.

Closing Thoughts…

• Statewide Forest Resource Assessments and Strategies take a lot of time!!!

• An opportunity, not just a mandate…