Forestry in your state

[Mike Beacom]

NASCA is interested to learn about forestry work our members are engaged in (any project or partnership, big and small). This feedback will help us in upcoming discussions with the Forest Service and other federal partners.

[Paul Dolan]

We just completed a Coverts class with 24 participates. It is looking at forest management to increase habitat for first successional wildlife. We are also doing outreach programs for Women owning Woodlands and have done 2 virtual workshop this fall. We are working on outreach for our Forestry for the Birds program. We have conducted walk in the forest for Tree Farmers and forest landowners.

[Justin Caudill]

I passed this question on to three conservation districts in north eastern WY. concerning a larger project which had just been completed. The following is the response from the Campbell County Conservation District Manager, Cheyenne Love.

While CCCD’s partnership with CCNRD and WCNRD under the RCPP program has ended as of September 30th, 2022, I’d be more than happy to share what we accomplished under that project, as well as what CCCD is planning in the future regarding forestry management practices.

The Northeast Wyoming Forest Resiliency Project was a collaborative effort between multiple partners across the three counties; CCCD, CCNRD, WCNRD, WCW&P, WSFD, USFS, DOI-BLM, WGFD, NWTF, and NRCS. Utilizing EQIP conservation practices 666 (Forest Stand Improvement), 314 (Brush Management), and 384 (Woody Residue Treatment), thirty-six projects encompassing 2,504.4 acres of certified treatment were completed by project close-out. In addition, contract foresters were selected under this project to provide producers with Forest Stewardship Plans to assist with future management efforts, address resource concerns, and aid in future EQIP applications.

CCCD is currently in discussion with WSFD Division V for future thinning projects on private lands, however, this is simply in the planning stages.

[Justin Caudill]

Here’s another update from a second CD in Wyoming.
Crook County Natural Resource District has several forestry related projects going on and wants to do more. But it is difficult for an unfunded district (no mill levy)—to create match and to bank-roll invoices.
CCNRD currently has 25 active projects in Crook County (9 are hazardous fuels reduction projects with the BLM ($47k) (73-acres of defensible space, fuel treatments, fuel breaks) and 16 active wildlife/forestry projects (750-acres) with WWNRT, Muley Fanatics Foundation, WY Game & Fish Commission, WY Governor’s Big Game License Coalition, and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation ($515k). The district has *many* more applications and projects to design and attain funding for, but it is just one person in the office 3 days a week! They are also working with Weston County on the wildlife/forestry projects and they have 5 active projects totaling ~200-acres.
CCNRD also just received a CAFA award for hazardous fuels reduction projects with the USFS/WSFD and will begin implementing those in January 2023($236k to help about 13 landowners on 150-acres-ish…).
A three CD partnership (Crook, Campbell, Weston Counties) withdrew their Campbell/Weston/Crook NRCS RCPP award because NRCS couldn’t get their forestry specs/standards figured out and the district’s didn’t want to back-track and tarnish relationships with landowners.

[Ben Schram]

In Michigan, we were successful in receiving an RCPP AFA award for tree planting in the Northern Lower Peninsula.

Project Name: Climate Action and Reforestation in Northern Michigan

Funding Pool: State/Multi State, $5.4 million in funding

Partners: Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (lead), Arbor Day Foundation, Michigan State University, The Nature Conservancy, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Huron Pines.

Project Objectives:
o Leverage federal and partner resources to make progress toward afforestation and reforestation goals under the Michigan Climate Action Plan.
o Prevent soil erosion and protect water quality by planting trees on historically forested land, abandoned marginal agricultural lands, and riparian areas.
o Ensure long-term forest stewardship, land protection, and maintenance of forest cover.
o Educate landowners about climate resilient forestry and forest carbon sequestration opportunities.
o Demonstrate the viability of a unique and efficient reforestation program in a pilot area for future expansion to other geographies.

Project Area: The project covers the 27 counties encompassing the northern Lower Peninsula.

Most of the project funding will be used to contract with a small set of forestry companies who will bundle many private properties for large-scale tree planting.
o We submit that this is a simpler, more efficient proposition for the landowners, as well as a more efficient use of federal conservation dollars.
o Tree planting will include native hardwoods and conifers on 5,000 acres (5-6 million trees) of private land and 11,400 acres of state-managed public land.

A small portion of the funding is set aside for participant outreach and economic, social, and environmental monitoring.

[Bill Smith]

In South Dakota, our staff is involved with:

USDA Forest Service: State & Private Forestry Coop Programs (Forest Health, Forest Stewardship, Forest Legacy, Urban & Community Forestry) Good Neighbor Authority, Cooperating Agency Status on the Black Hills National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan Revision

Bureau of Land Management: Good Neighbor Authority

Natural Resources Conservation Service: Thinning, Agroforestry, Technical Service Providers for EQIP and CSP programs.

Farm Services Agency: Emergency Forest Restoration Program

[Tom Gordon]

In Maine, state forestry programs are managed by the Maine Forest Service, a bureau of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation& Forestry. DACF’s Bureau of Agriculture administratively oversees Soil & Water Conservation Districts. Most Districts are actively involved in forest management outreach, particularly on invasives management. Four Districts (York, Oxford, Somerset, and Piscataquis own or manage demonstration forests.DACF works closely with NRCS programs and participates on the NRCS State Technical Committee’s Forestry Subcommittee.

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