Woods Forum
Related Links and Documents
Informing Landowner Decisions
Through Community Conversations
Background
Landowner Decisions
Format
Goals
Community Engagement
Organizing a Woods Forum
Private families, individuals, trusts, and non-profits own more than 3/4 ths of all woodland in Massachusetts . This vast expanse of privately owned woodland provides many important public goods to local communities, such as clean water, wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation, wood products, a scenic backdrop for a rural tourism industry, and other forms of employment.
Private lands are the building blocks of healthy forest ecosystems and communities in Massachusetts. The decisions landowners individually make have a cumulative effect on the greater forest landscape that dominates the Commonwealth.
Many landowners don't think about their woods on a day-to-day basis, except to enjoy the privacy, scenery, and tranquil environment to live in and raise a family. Only 15% of landowners in Massachusetts have a forest management plan. Even fewer have done any formal estate planning.
However, at some point in every landowner's life, a decision about what to do with their woods arises. Since most woodland owners typically don't often sell timber and plan the future of their land, they therefore don't know where to turn for advice when these very important decisions arise. It is crucial for landowners to know their options and make informed decisions. These decisions have implications for both the landowner and the local community.
Woods Forums discuss important decisions surrounding woodland ownership and the importance of these woodlands to local communities
Woods Forums are based on the premise that local owners have much to learn from one another about their woods and their experiences, and these opportunities will serve to stimulate such learning. Bringing together local woodland owners, as well as conservation professionals, to share information and experiences can also create an informal, local network of contacts to help provide information at crucial decision making times.
Format
Specifically, these are not “workshops” at which landowners are “students” who are there to “learn” or be “taught” something by someone. Instead, these events or forums are organized to stimulate a discussion forum in which landowners can ask their questions and get answers from both neighbors and professionals. The discussion forum also encourages landowner interaction with local land trusts and conservation organizations.
A brief presentation customized for each target area is presented at the beginning by Dave Kittredge, State Extension Forester, and Paul Catanzaro, Forest Resources Specialist, to provide background information and foster discussion. The Woods Forum is brought to a close by a short summary presentation. However, it is typical for the conversations to continue, extend into the parking lot and even beyond.
Example Woods Forum Presentation
The overall goal of Woods Forums is that landowners will know:
- What kind of information they need to make informed decisions,
- What their alternatives are for their land,
- Where to go within their own community for more information,
- How their land fits into the larger landscape,
- The role they can play in providing advice to other landowners when they need to make a decision about their own land.
Each Forum is organized around a 4 or 6-town region. The events are organized at a town level to convene landowners (and others who may be interested in forests, e.g., land trust folk, members of the local planning board or conservation commission) and facilitate relevant local discussion. Likewise, it is equally important for community members to know the needs of the woodland owners that provide such tremendous public benefit from their privately owned woods.
Woods Forums are delivered by the Forest Conservation program of UMass Extension and the UMass - Amherst Department of Natural Resources Conservation.
Woods Forums are typically held on weekday evenings from 7-9 P.M. and can be hosted most anywhere, including town halls, community centers, and conservation organization headquarters.
Sponsoring a Woods Forum can be an effective way for organizations to reach forest landowners in their area. Sponsors of the Woods Forums include the Highland Communities Initiative, East Quabbin Land Trust, Berkshire Environmental Action Team, and The Trustees of Reservations
Contact Paul Catanzaro to learn more about Woods Forums or if you would like to sponsor one in your community.
