Brief - USDA Forest Service

Massachusetts Forest Resource Fact Sheet
Peter Church, Director of Forest Stewardship
Fiscal Year 2015
Phone: 617-626-1461
Web: www.mass.gov/eea/state-parks-beaches/sustainable-forest-management/
Fax: 617-626-1449
E-mail: [email protected]
Investment in State's Cooperative Programs
FY 2014
Final
$824,016
$1,283,140
$280,855
$2,242,457
$4,630,468
Cooperative Fire Protection
Cooperative Forestry
Forest Health Management
Forest Legacy and Community Forestry
Total
This funding is for all entities within the state, not just the State Forester's office.
Key Issues
Controlling Asian longhorned beetle infestation.
Connecting people to forest sustainability.
Changing land use, including fragmentation.
Education and interdisciplinary approach to forest health and invasive species.
Providing private landowner and urban community forestry services.
Forest Facts and Accomplishments
Selected Facts
Population
Acres of Forest Land
Acres of Nonindustrial Private Forest Land
Number of NIPF Landowners
Acres of Federal Land Under State Fire Protection
Acres of Private Land Under State Fire Protection
Number of Rural Fire Departments
Cities and Towns
Forest Based Employment
Economic Impact of Forestry (by rank)
State Forestry Budget (All Sources)
6,547,629
3,024,092
2,179,000
293,000
0
3,200,000
220
53
20,647
6
3,750,000
Selected FY 2014 Accomplishments
Landowners Receiving Educational or Technical Assistance
(Each)
Acres Covered by New or Revised Forest Stewardship Plans
Acres in Important Forest Resource Areas Covered by New or
Revised Stewardship Plans
Volunteer Fire Departments Assisted (Each)
State Fire Communities Assisted (Each)
Coop Forest Health Acres Protected
Forest Legacy Project Acquisitions (Acres)
Communities Provided Urban Forestry Program Assistance
(Each)
Population Living in Communities Provided Urban Forestry
Program Assistance (Each)
Urban Forestry Volunteer Assistance (Hours)
15,510
23,417
12,385
43
637
500
0
173
4,566,532
22,717
Program Highlights:
Conservation Education
The Massachusetts Envirothon is in its 27th year. Five-student teams represent their school or organization in a competition testing knowledge on aquatics,
forestry, soils, wildlife, a current environmental issue and ecosystem concepts.
Cooperative Fire Protection
Core funds aided the purchase of equipment and updates for the state’s communications system. Staff delivered 55 prevention programs and trained 330
firefighters. 40 communities received wildland fire equipment and training through the VFA Program. Federal Excess Personal Property program acquisitions
totaled $1,295,692; DOD Fire Fighter Property program acquisitions totaled $130,427. Hazardous fuels - more than 830 acres near 22 high-risk communities.
Forest Health Protection
Infestations of the cynipid gall continue, with some areas showing heavy defoliation and possible future tree. Emerald ash borer monitoring and
management and efforts to eradicate the Asian longhorned beetle in Worcester Co. continue. Winter moth defoliated 33,792 acres. Release of winter moth
parasite Cyzenis albicans continued, with recovery at 17 sites.
Forest Legacy
The Heritage Corridor Forest Legacy Area Amendment received final approval from the U.S. Forest Service on October 23, 2013, with the help of The
MassConn Sustainable Partnership and a number of their associated partners.
Landowner Assistance
MA reported 512 new/revised stewardship plans for 48,537 acres; and 23 programs for 1,680 landowners. MA has two on-going competitive forest
stewardship grants (Redesign/LSR): Creating a Buy Local Model for Working Forests, and Small Forest Landowner Outreach Initiative for the Quabbin to
Cardigan Priority Landscape. MA started the Foresters for the Birds program based on the highly successful Vermont model. MA has integrated the federal
Forest Stewardship Program and the Working Forest Initiative, a MA state program, adding state support and funding to federal funding.
Urban and Community Forestry
The MA UCF Program worked on a pilot planting program, Greening the Gateway Cities. The program plants trees in urban areas with low canopy cover to
reduce energy use. Three Gateway Cities were Chelsea, Holyoke, and Fall River (Forest Action Plan priority areas). Targeted planting areas had a goal to
increase canopy cover by 10%. 476 trees were planted on both public and private property. The project scale was increased for the fall planting season.
Wood Education & Resource Center
The WERC Wood Energy Technical Assistance Team provided technical assistance to 10 projects to offset about 164,000 gallons of heating oil and use
about 1,800 tons of woody biomass annually. One project was Narragansett HS in Baldwinsville, which received a $250k FS Woody Biomass Utilization
Grant. Saint Benedict’s monastery is using funds from a state grant program. Harvard Forest completed a wood-fired heating system serving 7 campus
buildings. For more information on this project visit http://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/biomass
Northeastern Area S&PF, USDA Forest Service
Last Updated: April 10, 2015
Tony Ferguson, Director
E-mail: [email protected] | Phone: 610-557-4103 | FAX: 610-557-4177 | WEB: http://www.na.fs.fed.us