Download - 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
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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?