Timber Harvesting 101 for Conservation Commissions and Town Officials

Forests play a critical role in the character of our region and are vital for natural habitat, outdoor recreation and natural/ecosystems services (such as helping to supply clean water and air). The majority of the forested land in Massachusetts is owned in relatively small parcels by private landowners. For many landowners, any plan to conserve and protect forests needs to include the ability to carry out good forestry and timber harvesting using best management practices (BMPs).

Local Conservation Commissions play an important role under the Forest Cutting Practices Act because they can review and comment on cutting plans about local concerns.

The MassConn Sustainable Forest Partnership, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions (MACC) will hold a Timber Harvesting 101 Workshop for Conservation Commissions & Town Officials on June 30^th  from 9 am to noon on the site of a recent timber harvest in Southbridge.  The workshop will teach officials how to review a timber cutting plan, see what a timber sale is all about, learn how landowner goals and site conditions can affect timber harvest decisions, and see what some forestry BMPs look like on the ground.

The workshop will be held in Southbridge on a property managed by Opacum Land Trust where a timber harvest was conducted in 2016 and 2017, along with the first phase of an invasive plant removal effort as part of overall land management of the property. The workshop will be led by Scott Gerrish, the private forester who oversaw the harvest; Chris Capone, the DCR Service Forester for the region; and Michèle Girard, Associate Director of MACC. 

Among the topics which will be covered:

•           Understanding a Conservation Commission’s role implementing the Forest Cutting  Practices Act

•           Learning how to read and review a Forest Cutting Plan

•           Translating what’s described in the plan to actual practices on the ground

•           Learning about conservation, the benefits of forestry and well-managed timber harvesting

•           Learning how to provide guidance to landowners to help inform decisions about the future of their land

This program will be held outside in the woods and will include walking over rough ground, so please dress accordingly, including sturdy shoes and bug spray for ticks.

To register for this free workshop please contact Michèle Girard of MACC at michele.girard@maccweb.org or by calling 617-489-3930.

Registration is required to receive directions to the site.