WILDLANDS AND WOODLANDS MEETING SET FOR SEPT 29--GOAL AS WE HAVE DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY IN THIS BLOG IS TO SAVE INTO PERPETUITY 50% OF NEW ENGLAND'S OPEN SPACE BOTH FOR WORKING FOREST(WOODLANDS) AND FOR LONG TERM OLD GROWTH(WILDLANDS)--WE APPLAUD OUR FRIEND DAVID FOSTER WHO HEADS UP THE HARVARD FOREST IN MASSACHUSETTS AND IS SPEARHEADING THIS INITIATIVE

Next Wildlands and Woodlands Partnership Meeting Sept. 29, 2010 at Harvard Forest

Wednesday, September 29, 1 pm - 4 pm
Wildlands and Woodlands Partnership Meeting
Working Woodlands:  Getting the Value Proposition Right for Private Forest Landowners
Speaker: Dylan H. Jenkins, CF, Director of Land Conservation, PA Chapter of TNC
Location: Harvard Forest, 324 North Main Street, Petersham, MA
There will be time in the meeting for extensive updates on the following items and more:

• America's Great Outdoors Initiative and the Listening Session in Concord, NH - A group of New England conservationists presented information to Secretary Vilsack about how federal resources for forest conservation should be invested to achieve shared goals.  They developed a set of "talking points" that called for the federal government's support of regional conservation partnerships, permanent conservation funding, support for ecosystem markets, forest industry, etc.  Could these talking points help form the foundation for a policy platform that advances conservation across New England? Come to the meeting to learn more.
• New England Conservation Finance and Policy Platform  -  Conservationists with expertise in conservation, climate change, forestry, and land use policy from across New England will be getting together to discuss the merits of a shared New England-wide policy campaign(s).  
• Western MA Pilot Aggregation Project and New England Expansion - The New England Forestry Foundation is working with 7 land trusts to help 71 family forest landowners protect over 10,000 acres in Western Massachusetts.  NEFF will provide updates on efforts to apply this model to 14 other locations.
• Woodland Councils USFS Redesign Grant Project - Four Woodland Councils in Massachusetts and Connecticut were awarded a $200,000 grant from the US Forest Service to provide training and educational programs to landowners, foresters, and municipal officials about conservation easements and their stewardship.
• Regional Conservation Partnership Gathering Nov. 15 - Coordinators of existing and emerging partnerships are gathering in southern Maine on Nov. 15 at the Wells Research Reserve to learn from each other about what works best in collaborative conservation.  If you are interested in starting a new regional conservation collaboration, this may be right for you. Come to the meeting to find out more, or email blabich@highstead.net to register.
• Massachusetts Special Commission on Financing Forest Conservation - James Levitt worked with a Special Advisory Committee to a Governor-appointed Commission in 2010 to identify several key strategies for greatly increasing resources to protect more land.  Aggregation, mitigation, and limited development were highlighted.  Are these strategies relevant to other New England states? We'll find out.
• Regional Plan Association's (RPA) Landscape Conservation Initiative - The RPA recently launched a 3-year effort to promote landscape conservation in the Northeastern United States.  Deliverables include a GIS that places landscape initiatives in the context of conservation opportunities and development challenges; a website and conference to bring landscape professionals together; and a re-grant program in the 3rd year.
• W&W Stewardship Science Initiative - W&W partner scientists and authors have developed a way for citizens and others to establish and maintain long-term monitoring plots on wildlands and woodlands and a means for uploading their data to an accessible on-line database. Hear more about this initiative and how to participate.
• The New England Governor's Conference Blue Ribbon Commission on Land Conservation - Now that the NE Governors passed the resolution, what's next for the CLC?  How will they promote their pilot initiatives?
• Southern New England Forest Management - Bob Perschel, Northeast Director with the Forest Guild, has been chairing this discussion group that includes forestry stakeholders from CT, RI and MA.  What's next for this group?

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Wildlands and Woodlands (maintained at Highstead) •  P.O. Box 1097  •  Redding, Connecticut 06875
Phone: (203) 938-8809              (203) 938-8809       •  Fax: (203) 938-0343 •  info@wildlandsandwoodlands.org
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