forest management challenges & opportunities

Forest ManagementChallenges & Opportunities

Green Counties: Green Lands Green Counties: Green Lands Madison, VAMadison, VA

18 September 200718 September 2007

Mike SantucciMike SantucciRegion 3 Forest Conservation SpecialistRegion 3 Forest Conservation Specialist

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Topics of Discussion

The forest by the The forest by the numbersnumbers

Demographic impactDemographic impact Threats and issuesThreats and issues Points to ponderPoints to ponder

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Forest Cover – Madison County

118.3120.5

126.1

100

150

Th

ou

sa

nd

Acre

s

1984 1992 2001

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Timberland – All Landowners

86 88.3

73.3

0

50

100

Th

ou

sa

nd

Acre

s

1984 1992 2001

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Timberland – NIPFOs

77.8 80.8

59.8

0

50

100

Th

ou

sa

nd

Acre

s

1984 1992 2001

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Forest Cover Types

0

200

400

600

Th

ou

sa

nd

Acre

s

1984 1992 2001

Hardwood Native Pine Planted Pine

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Forestland Ownership

Federal22%

Private76%

State1%Local

1%

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Economic Impact

$156.3 MM DIRECT, INDIRECT,

INDUCED impacts #1 agricultural industry

in the state 1180 residents

employed 10% of population

Difficult to quantify other values

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Demographics

2000 Pop.2000 Pop. 2006 Est. Pop.2006 Est. Pop. % Change% Change

MADMAD 12,52012,520 13,61313,613 + 8.7+ 8.7

VAVA 7.1 MM7.1 MM 7.6 MM7.6 MM + 8.0+ 8.0

Northern Piedmont is fastest growing region in VANorthern Piedmont is fastest growing region in VA Added 15,000+ people in 5 yearsAdded 15,000+ people in 5 years Lost 5000+/- acres of forestlandLost 5000+/- acres of forestland

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Conservation Continuum

Exploitation Preservation

“Been–heres”Generational familiesTraditionalistsEconomic incentivesPrivate property rights

“Come–heres”New residentsNeo-conservationistsRegulationSocietal benefits

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Ecological Footprint

A single human being: Annually consumes the amount of wood in a 16-

inch diameter tree that is 100 feet tall Uses 750 pounds of paper per year

Home construction 20,000 board feet of lumber 14,000 board feet of panel products

24 acres of forestland per person

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Ecological FootprintAcres of Forestland per Person

Canada 30.0

Madison County 9.3

Northern Piedmont 4.6

El mundo 4.5

United States 2.6

Virginia 2.0

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Local Threats to Forestland

Loss of open spaceLoss of open space Through parcelization, fragmentation and Through parcelization, fragmentation and

conversionconversion Improper forest managementImproper forest management

Past and presentPast and present Water quantity and qualityWater quantity and quality Invasive speciesInvasive species

1414

Forest Parcelization Division of large, contiguous forest tracts into

smaller properties Promotes forest fragmentation and land-use

conversion.

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Fragmentation

Often leads to conversion Usually development

Tends to isolate and separate forested tracts from each other.

75 acres75 acres Healthy & manageable forest systemsHealthy & manageable forest systems

Madison CountyMadison County Average tract size is 20 acresAverage tract size is 20 acres 85% of tracts are smaller85% of tracts are smaller

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Conversion

VA losing 26,000 acres of forestland per year 71+ acres per day 2.9 acres per hour

1 million acres by 2040 Majority is concentrated in northern piedmont and

mountains 75% due to development

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Proximity PressurePeople per Square

MileForest Management

Potential

20 75%

45 50%

70 25%

150+ 0%

Culmination of fragmentation and development

Madison County Population Density =

42 people per square mile

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Some Points to Ponder History is the future Succession happens Forest management is an act of trade-offs Where do the opportunities lie?

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History is the Future

Past events impact today’s decisions

Today’s decisions will impact tomorrow’s choices

“By understanding our past, we can shape our future.”

Forest History Society

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Succession Happens

Forests: Are not static Age at a different rate than us Can and do change

Take the long view The shorter the planning horizon, the less

possibility for sustainability “Forest time” is out of sync with “human time”

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Trade-offs

Very few panaceas or silver bullets Very little is black & white

Get comfortable in the “gray” Objectives can be contradictory

Cause and effect

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Opportunities

Public participation Comprehensive Plan revisions Ad hoc committees

Forest Stewardship Management Plans Cost Share Programs Tax Incentives

Land Use taxation Forestal districts

Conservation Easements

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THANK YOU!THANK YOU!

Questions?Questions?