Forest Management Public Summary. for. Massachusetts Woodlands Cooperative

Transcription

1 Forest Management Public Summary for Massachusetts Woodlands Cooperative Certification Code: SW-FM/COC-248 Date of Certification: April 15, 2003 Date of Public Summary: April 2003, updated for 2004, 2005 This document was produced according to the guidelines of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the SmartWood Program. No part of the report should be published separately. Certifier: SmartWood Program 1 c/o Rainforest Alliance 665 Broadway, 5 th Floor New York, New York U.S.A. TEL: (212) FAX: (212) info@smartwood.org Website: 1 SmartWood is implemented worldwide by the nonprofit members of the SmartWood Network. The Network is coordinated by the Rainforest Alliance, an international nonprofit conservation organization. The Rainforest Alliance is the legally registered owner of the SmartWood certification mark and label. All uses of the SmartWood label for promotion must be authorized by SmartWood headquarters. SmartWood certification applies to forest management practices only and does not represent endorsement of other product qualities (e.g., financial performance to investors, product function, etc.). SmartWood is accredited by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) for the certification of natural forest management, tree plantations and chain of custody.

2 ACRONYMS AAC ALP BMP CFI CITES DBH DEM DOC FCPA FMO FSC FSP GIS HCVF ILO MDC MIS MWC NHESP OA OSH P&C RMA SFM SFMP Annual Allowable Cut Annual Logging Plan Best Management Practices Continuous Forestry Inventory Convention on Trade in Endangered Species Diameter at Breast Height Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management Department of Conservation Forest Cutting Practices Act Forest Management Organization Forest Stewardship Council Forest Stewardship Program Geographic Information System High Conservation Value Forest International Labor Organization Metropolitan District Commission Management Information System Massachusetts Woodlands Cooperative Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program Operational Agreement Occupation Safety and Health Principles and Criteria of the FSC Resource Management Act Sustainable Forest Management Sustainable Forest Management Plan 2

3 INTRODUCTION To earn SmartWood certification, a forest management operation must undergo an on-site field assessment. This Public Summary Report summarizes information contained in the initial assessment report, which is produced based on information collected during the field assessment. Annual audits are conducted to monitor the forest management operation s activities, to review the operation s progress toward meeting their certification conditions, and to verify compliance with the SmartWood standards. Addenda providing the updated information obtained during these annual audits are included as attachments to the Public Summary Report. This report presents the findings of an independent certification assessment conducted by a team of specialists representing the SmartWood Program of the Rainforest Alliance. The purpose of the assessment was to evaluate the ecological, economic and social sustainability of Massachusetts Woodlands Cooperative s (MWC) members forest management. The purpose of the SmartWood program is to recognize conscientious land stewardship through independent evaluation and certification of forestry practices. Forestry operations that attain SmartWood certification may use the SmartWood label for public marketing and advertising. 1. GENERAL SUMMARY 1.1. Name and Contact Information Source Name: Massachusetts Woodlands Cooperative, LLC Contact Person: Arthur Eve Address: P.O. Box 9660, North Amherst, MA Tel: Fax: N/A aeve@attbi.com 1.2. General Background A. Type of operation The Massachusetts Woodlands Cooperative (MWC) is a landowner cooperative established as an LLC with nonindustrial private woodland owners as members. Members are invited to participate in the Cooperative by the Board or Directors and eligible candidates must meet the following criteria: 1. Accepts the values and operating principles of the cooperative 2. Remains in good standing by paying membership fees and patronizing the cooperative. 3. Owns 10 or more acres of forestland in Western Massachusetts. 4. Has in place (or is willing to develop) a forest management plan that meets the green certification standards that have been set by the cooperative. The mission of MWC is: To maintain the environment and character of western Massachusetts through the protection, enhancement and careful economic development of one of the regions most plentiful resources, the forest. 3

4 There were approximately 23 charter members of the MWC controlling approximately 3,000 acres of forestland. The certification pool is made up of 15 forest owners with a total acreage of 2,352 acres. Thus, not all MWC members are members of MWC s certified pool. The largest parcel in the certified pool is 493 acres and the smallest parcel is 10 acres. They are all located in Western Massachusetts. These owners were chosen according to their interest in applying for certification and the degree to which they met the Northeast Standards as determined by an internal review board. Over the future MWC intends to expand both the membership and the certified pool. In addition to the Cooperative Members, governed by the MWC Board, there is also an associated Resource Group to provide support for MWC members on technical and administrative issues. The Resource Group is made up of private consultants, faculty at the University of Massachusetts and professionals from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management (DEM). At the time of the field assessment there were also two college interns from the University of Massachusetts assisting in the compilation and management of data on the member properties and for the Geographic Information System (GIS). Volunteer Board Members and the Resource Group have done a tremendous amount of work to establish the framework for the cooperative, the internal review standards and compile all of the management plan information in preparation for green certification under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). B. Years in operation The cooperative was incorporated in the summer of The first meeting of the landowners and resource professionals who formed the ideas and principles of the MWC occurred in October of Forest owner members have been practicing forestry on their properties prior to joining the MWC. C. Date first certified April 15, 2003 D. Latitude and longitude of certified operation The following coordinates represent an imaginary point near an estimate of the geographic center of the lands enrolled in the original pool of owners. N 42 o 30.0 W 72 o Forest and Management System A. Forest type and land use history There are a variety of forest types on the ownerships that make up the certified pool of MWC forestlands. All of the lands are located in Western Massachusetts. This region is considered part of the northern Appalachian temperate forest biome. The forests in this region are predominately deciduous but do contain mixed forest types as well as coniferous types. Broad types include associations of oak-hickory forests as well as northern hardwood forests (beech-birch-maple). Softwood types include natural forests comprised or mixed with white pine and hemlock. Mixed wood associations include oak-pine and northern hardwood-pine. There are scattered remnant plantations of red pine and Norway spruce that were planted as a conservation measure on highly erodible agricultural lands. Plantations make up 0.25% of the total acreage in the original 2

5 certification pool and MWC intends to rely exclusively on silvicultural methods that promote natural regeneration. The land use history of this region is the same as in most of New England. As the continental glaciers retreated some ten to twelve thousand years ago humans moved in to the region as hunter gathers. As the populations of these natives grew and established in the northeast, it is not clear the degree to which they managed the forest. Clearings were limited to settlements. Following the settlement of the region by immigrants from Europe around the 1700s, much of the land was cleared for agricultural use. By the mid- 1800s, almost 75% of the land area had been cleared. Since that time land has slowly been abandoned for agricultural use and has slowly reverted to a forested state. For the most part, the lands that make up the certification pool are upland forests that have reverted back to forest cover after agricultural abandonment during the last century. For the parcels that contain older forests, all have seen some harvesting activity within the last 50 years. Some of these activities were under the supervision of foresters and others were loggers choice harvests. All of the properties are used for traditional recreational activities. Some owners are experiencing problems with increasing use my motorized personal recreational vehicles and mountain bikes. While allowing hunting by certain users, several owners post the property in order to better monitor and control hunting access. The majority of the parcels are associated with an existing residence, summer home or working farm. According to the U.S. Forest Service, as of 1998 approximately 62% of the state of Massachusetts is forested. While the area in forest has decreased for the State as a whole, the area in forest has increased in the rural areas of western Massachusetts over the period between 1985 and The decrease in forestland area statewide is due to development pressure associated with the expanding urban areas in the eastern part of the state. While portions of the western part of the state are feeling the pressure of development for vacation homes and expanding populations along the interstate corridors, the predominate trend is from agricultural lands reverting to forests which has promoted a net increase in areas classified as forested. B. Size of forest management unit certified and forest use and area in production forest, conservation, and/or restoration Land use Area (ha) Natural or Semi Natural Forest 868 Plantation 4 Protected area 13 Special Management Areas 46 Water 1 Infrastructure and other uses 49 Other uses 0 Total Certified Area 951 MWC Certified Pool Statistics Number of landowners 15 Number of parcels 22 Average size of parcel 157 acres (63 Ha) 3

6 Total size of certified pool 2,352 acres (951 Ha) 81 % percent of the total managed lands of MWC are in the FSC certified pool Table 2. MWC FSC Certification Pool Last First Forest Loc. Acres Mgt. Plan (yr.) Harvest Forester Anderson Stephen Deerfield T. Kyker-Snowman Boone Robert & Susan Whately James Joslyn Buie Sarah & Walter Wright Worthington N/A Karl Davies Damery David Greenfield N/A Scott Sylvester Eve Arthur Conway/Deerfield Lincoln Fish Fabos Adrian Cummington Adrian Fabos Fish Lincoln Haydenville Lincoln Fish Healy Jonathan East Charlemont N/A Scott Sylvester Kielson David & Gail West Chesterfield N/A Karl Davies Lake William & Antonia Worthington Lincoln Fish Lewis Patricia Lee Westhampton N/A Lincoln Fish Phlen Steffen Worthington / Chester Karl Davies Starkey Richard & Marcia Greenfield/Shelburne N/A Mary Wigmore Strasburg Paul Worthington / Lincoln Fish Winer Shirley Chester N/A Lincoln Fish C. Annual allowable cut and/or annual harvest covered by management plan MWC should be recognized for their researched approach to estimating growth and determining allowable cut across the cooperative. It is clearly an example of how the development of the MWC and its management system has been developed around the Forest Stewardship Council Principles and Criteria (FSC P&C). Members of the MWC Resource Group, along with the assistance of the interns have stratified ten-year growth data captured on the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) Quabbin Watershed Continuous Inventory Plots (CFI) by forest type. These figures were reduced to single year estimates and then applied by type to the ownerships that make up the MWC. The overall average growth per year from the Quabbin CFI plots is approximately 330-board feet/acre/year or 1.32 cubic meters/acre/yr. For the State of Massachusetts the U.S. Forest Service has estimated growth over the period from 1985 to 1998 as 37 cubic feet/acre/year or 444 board feet/acre/year or 1.05 cubic meters/acre/year. These conversions assume the convention that there are 250 board feet to 1 cubic meter of wood (established by SmartWood). The calculations generated by MWC address total growth and AAC across 2,159 forested acres in the original pool. Based on the extrapolation of data from the MDC Quabbin they project total growth to be approximately 701 thousand board feet (MBF) per year. This translates to an average of 300 board feet/acre/year or 1.19 cubic meters/acre/year. MWC intends to refine these numbers moving forward. At this point they have stated no particular target for harvest relative to total growth and it appears from their analysis that the total growth per acre will be established as an absolute maximum allowable cut. MWC has done a much more thorough analysis of the annual growth issue than many of the other Resource Manager Candidates assessed by the members of the assessment team. They have applied actual growth data from the region and have articulated an intention to develop their own system for looking at growth and removals on member properties. 4

7 MWC s intent is to use these AAC figures as benchmarks when preparing management plans or reviewing harvesting operations. They are in the process of establishing better growth data for the region and will encourage individual owners to collect stand growth data as a part of management plan inventories. The AAC figures will not be applied as an absolute rule in harvest oversight. On individual properties, total harvest volumes may exceed even cumulative growth for the cutting cycle. The best hypothetical example of where this might be possible is the degraded stand that has been severely high-graded. A regeneration prescription for such a stand may include a shelterwood or group selection harvest system that will remove substantial proportion of the stands basal area. MWC s long-term objective is to create balanced age classes of forests on owner lands that will improve opportunities for a sustainable balance of growth with removals. The standard procedure for analysis of allowable cut projections on candidate lands is to estimate growth using data from the U.S. Forest Service inventories. According to the most recent inventory, estimated per acre growth is projected by the U.S. Forest Service (Alerich, Carol L Forest Statistics for Massachusetts: 1985 and Res. Bull NE-148) at 37 cubic feet per acre per year. If this figure is applied to the 2159 acres of estimated commercial forested land in the pool, a total estimated annual growth increment of 959 MBF is obtained. MWC estimates are approximately 73% of this number. D. General description of details and objectives of the management plan/system The overall objectives and operating principles of MWC are articulated in their Information About document dated March 18 th 2002: Values and Beliefs of Massachusetts Woodlands Cooperative 1. Stewardship of the forest is the responsibility of all cooperative members. 2. Sustainable forestry includes attention to all aspects of ecosystem health (tree and plant quality, water quality, wildlife habitat, aesthetics, etc.) 3. Effective management of forest resources will create a sustained flow of forest benefits including timber, wildlife, clean water, aesthetics, and recreation. 4. The cooperative will strengthen the local economy by maximizing the economic return to landowners and using local businesses whenever possible. 5. The establishment of a landowner cooperative will improve forestry standards in western Massachusetts. 6. Forestry standards will be further enhanced by the organization s involvement with green certification. 7. Individual landowner income from forest products will increase as a result of their participation in the cooperative. 8. Educational activities sponsored by the cooperative will assist members and others in acquiring knowledge and understanding of sustainable forestry practices and this will improve privately owned woodlands. Operating Principles of the Massachusetts Woodland Cooperative 1. All forestry activities undertaken by members will be based on sound concepts of sustainable harvesting and management. 2. Members will market their forest products through the cooperative. 3. The cooperative will market products through local buyers whenever possible. 4. Members will use local suppliers, operators and services whenever possible. 5. The cooperative will start small and build slowly on the basis of successful demonstration projects. 5

8 6. The cooperative will operate as a commercial enterprise, seeking to generate profits for its members so that they can afford to be good stewards of the land. 7. The cooperative will develop collaborative relationships with other groups that have similar interests in sustainable forestry. 8. The cooperative will seek external funding (e.g., grants and contracts) that will enhance the organization s ability to achieve its goals. MWC had developed their Management, Information and Geographic Systems based on the Draft FSC Standards for the Northeast. Working with the assistance of members of their Resource Group at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MWC was able to enlist the time and expertise of two interns. They have developed a thorough Management Information System that includes forest inventory data and management planning data for all members of the pool. There are also Geographic Information System (GIS) data that allow viewing of property boundary data with layers including hydrology, soils, wetlands and known unique habitats. Data available through MASS GIS is continually expanding. MWC has been evaluating high-resolution orthophotos for stand and feature mapping. They are pursuing funding for full time positions that will allow them to continue to input stand maps and property specific information. MWC provides maps to landowners as requested. All properties in the pool have existing management plans that were completed within the last ten years. MWC has evaluated all management plans, identified gaps relative to the FSC standards and is working to update all plans. All properties in the pool are enrolled in the Chapter 61 property tax program. All of the plans are therefore required to meet Massachusetts DEM review for compliance with State Management Plan standards. The landowners develop management plans with the assistance of their consulting foresters. Foresters collect data on forest conditions by a variety of methods. All foresters use variable point sampling. The computerized inventory systems that seems to be most commonly used is the U.S. Forest Service s NED-1 processing software. MWC is evaluating several systems for updating stand data and managing inventory information. Summaries of data from the management plans are included in the Management Information System. MWC uses this information for harvest forecasting and marketing for sales from the cooperative. At the time of the field evaluation MWC was still in the process of finalizing their management plan template or addendum to bring all plans into conformance with the requirements of Principle 7. One of the members of the Resource Group is quite familiar with the FSC certification process and has been extremely effective in assisting MWC with management planning systems. MWC s information system is one of the most thorough information systems for a Group Certification with multiple consulting foresters that this team has ever seen. Harvesting treatments are implemented by consulting foresters or by the landowners with assistance from members of the Resource Group. MWC has applied for funding for a full-time position; this position s responsibilities will include landowner assistance if requested. Timber sales are marked and all harvests over 25,000 board feet must meet the requirements of the Massachusetts Chapter 132 Forest Cutting Practices Act. Cutting plans include maps and regulate impact on stream crossings and buffers, wetlands, silvicultural treatment and regeneration. The majority of harvests are commercial harvests conducted by professional logging contractors. Several landowners conduct firewood removal operations with farm tractors or pick-up trucks. Logging contractors use equipment from cut-to-length technology, mechanical harvesters, 6

9 forwarders, to grapple skidders and cable skidders with hand crews for felling. MWC is also fortunate to have a capable horse-logging contractor in the Worthington Area. MWC has developed a very practical and effective oversight/quality control system. When a landowner becomes a member of MWC a team of volunteers from the Resource Group conducts a Green Certification Field Review. During this review they conduct an internal assessment of landowner compliance with the Northeast FSC Standards. In the first round this also included a review of all management plans. A written report is provided to the landowner describing the findings and any Issues to address. Landowners notify MWC when they intend to implement management practices, including sending copies of state-required permits/permission as appropriate, and both pre- and post-assessment review is done by members of the MWC Resource Group. In preparation for MWC s annual SmartWood audit, there may be a need for a member/members of the MWC Resource Group to review documents such as upgraded management plans, or to implement a field visit on member properties. Finally, there may be additional MWC visits as needed for particularly sensitive or complex operations or at a landowner s or MWC s request. The document entitled Massachusetts Woodlands Cooperative: Protocol for Green Certification discusses the protocol in detail. MWC carefully selects landowners to invite for participation. Therefore all owners that are participating have an interest in careful long-term planning, careful stewardship of forest resources and the highest standards of forest practice and a strong commitment to the mission of MWC Environmental and Socioeconomic Context The forested landscape of the Hilltowns in western Massachusetts is largely the result of the abandonment of agriculture in this region beginning in the late nineteenth century. High-grade timber harvesting in the early 1900 s and the hurricane of 1938 have influenced the composition of this secondary forest. Exotic pests and pathogens such as chestnut blight and hemlock woolly adelgid have and continue to influence forest composition. Varying intensity of timber harvesting, land conversion for suburban uses, and home building on large forested lots have also shaped the forest landscape. The even-aged forest that exists is becoming mature and has in fact led to a regional decline in species dependent on young forest stands. Forest ownership in the region is 80% private. While average parcel size in the State of Massachusetts is 10 acres, the average parcel size in the MWC project area is approximately 40 acres. Despite the dominance of private forest in the region, many of the current MWC members properties abut public protected areas. Maintaining a viable forest products industry in the area is made difficult by variable landowner interest in timber harvesting, lack of local low-grade markets (pulpwood in particular), and the large number of small landowners without a mechanism to coordinate management and forest products marketing Products Produced and Chain of Custody A. Chain of custody certificate MWC will receive a joint Forest Management (FM) and Chain of custody (COC) certificate number. Initially the COC certificate will cover veneer, saw logs, pulpwood, firewood and chips from landowner forests. MWC agrees to facilitate COC requirements for wood being sold to FSC certified buyers. This may include: marking logs, separating logs, providing FSC certificate number for trip tickets etc. 7

10 B. Species and volumes covered by the certificate The data in the following table was compiled based on stand data by MWC within their Management/Inventory Management System as of September As they update their inventory information they will develop improved harvest data by species. Table 3. MWC Harvesting Projections Forest Type Acres Products MBF Cords Aspen/Willow 6 round wood, sawlogs and veneer 1 49 Beech 40 round wood, sawlogs and veneer Beech-Birch Maple 227 round wood, sawlogs and veneer Black Cherry 16 round wood, sawlogs and veneer 5 Gray Birch-Red Maple 18 round wood, sawlogs and veneer 7 27 Hemlock 31 round wood, sawlogs and veneer Hemlock/Hardwoods 135 round wood, sawlogs and veneer Mix 251 round wood, sawlogs and veneer Mixed oak 146 round wood, sawlogs and veneer Oak - Hardwoods 25 round wood, sawlogs and veneer 8 92 Red pine 6 round wood, sawlogs and veneer Sugar Maple 2 round wood, sawlogs and veneer 3 White Birch 8 round wood, sawlogs and veneer 2 25 White Pine 45 round wood, sawlogs and veneer White Pine and Hemlock 55 round wood, sawlogs and veneer White Pine-hardwoods 256 round wood, sawlogs and veneer Total: 1,267 1,937 2,979 C. Description of current and planned processing capacity covered by the certificate The certificate covered by this assessment covers forest management operations only and the production of logs and round wood sold roadside or delivered to an FSC certified mill. One of the members included in the pool does own and operate a small sawmill and dry kiln. Following their successful forest management certification, MWC may explore opportunities for processing their own logs. The owner expressed an interest in COC certification to facilitate the activities of the cooperative. 2. CERTIFICATION ASSESSMENT PROCESS 2.1. Assessment Dates August 2002 September 2002 Stakeholder public notices distribution starts Initial team planning 8

11 September October 2002 January 23, 2003 February 25, 2003 February 26, 2003 March 17, 2003 March 27, 2003 Field assessment at MWC Begin report write-up and continue stakeholder interactions ( s and interviews) Draft report to MWC for initial review & fact-checking/comment Comments received from MWC Draft report to peer reviewers Comment back from peer reviewers Final draft submitted to SW Certification Committee 2.2. Assessment Team and Peer Reviewers Assessment Team Alan Calfee is a forester from southwestern Vermont. He has 15 years of forest management experience with private landowners, organizations and municipalities. He has seven years experience as a team member in assessments for the FSC. His primary areas of interest are silviculture, inventory and management planning systems, GIS mapping, roads and transportation systems and forest products marketing. John Gunn is an ecologist with a B.S. in Wildlife Management and a Master of Forest Science, and he is completing a Ph.D. in Biology. He has 10 years of wildlife research and forest management experience. He is based in Maine as the Technical Coordinator, Northern Forest for the SmartWood Program. Peer Reviewers A consulting ecologist, Ph.D. Botany, with extensive field experience in the New England region who has served on several assessment teams. A forester, B.S. Forest Utilization, with broad experience in New England forests working for landowners of varying sizes and objectives. He has served as an auditor for several certified forestland annual audits Assessment Process During the field phase of the assessment process, the team conducted the following steps as part of the normal SmartWood certification process: 1) Pre-Assessment Planning and Documentation review The initial packet sent to SmartWood included overview maps, list of pool members, sample management plans and information describing the structure and operating principles of MWC. Team members reviewed this data in preparation for the field assessment. Categories of sites to visit and include in the stratification sample were determined at this time. 2) Selection of Sites and Field Inspections: It was determined that 50% of the properties in the pool should be selected for field assessment by a random method. On the properties that were selected the team members chose to visit active or recently completed jobs if they were available. In some cases sites of ecological significance or sites described as unique in some way were chosen for field visits. Two properties were added because of close proximity to other sites visited and active harvesting that was happening. In total, eight properties were visited representing 1,455 acres of the pool, or approximately 62% of the acreage in the certified pool. 9

12 Initially the team met with several Board members and members of the Resource Group for a briefing on MWC and its management systems, Management/Inventory Information system and GIS. MWC was extremely well prepared for the FSC certification assessment and had prepared a binder with complete information about MWC, Laws and Regulations in the State of Massachusetts and individual landowner information (management plans, cutting plans etc.). The information in the binder was organized by the 10 FSC Principles and Criteria. 3) Field Interviews/Stakeholder consultation During the field assessment, the team was able to meet with and interview six of the landowner/members of MWC s certification pool. Three representatives of MWC accompanied the team on the entire assessment including two members of the Resource Group who work as Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management (DEM) foresters. This was extremely helpful to the team in interpreting the forest regulations of Massachusetts. The team met with one of the consulting foresters from the pool and interviewed others by phone. 4) Assessment Report Development The assessment report was developed following the completion of the fieldwork. Throughout this write-up period the assessors continued to conduct stakeholder interviews and other research. 5) Report Review by Candidate Operation and Independent Peer Reviewers The assessment report was reviewed by MWC and two independent peer reviewers. 6) Certification Decision The certification decision will be made by SmartWood headquarters. This will be completed after review of the assessment report and of comments made on the draft report by MWC and peer reviewers. Table 4. Summary of Forest Areas & Areas Visited by SmartWood Assessors Date Num. Owner Forest Loc. Acres Management activity Notes 26-Sep 1 Boone Whately 168 c.1985 Pine/Hdwd thinning Interview landowner 26-Sep Boone Whately 168 Shared R.O.W access and truck road 26-Sep Boone Whately 168 Landowner removals of firewood 26-Sep 2 Lake Worthington 65 Active horse logging operation Interview logger 26-Sep Lake Worthington 65 Temporary stream crossing, landing, skid trails 26-Sep 3 Strasburg Worthington 297 active harvest - patchcuts for wildlife WHIP Practice 26-Sep Strasburg Worthington single and small group selection harvest interview with forester & owner 26-Sep Strasburg Worthington skid trails, stream crossing, regeneration 26-Sep 4 Phlen Worthington / Chester 262 Active thinning/improvement/firewood operation 26-Sep Phlen Worthington / Chester 262 skid trail, landing, truck road 27-Sep 5 Starkey Greenfield/Shelburne 60 Planned (not marked) thinning, 27-Sep Starkey Greenfield/Shelburne 60 Shared R.O.W access 27-Sep 6 Anderson Deerfield 100 Open lands management, wildlife management interview landowner 27-Sep Anderson Deerfield 100 marked firewood removal sale 27-Sep 7 Damery Greenfield 10 Planned thinning in small red pine plantation 27-Sep Healy East Charlemont 493 Stewardship trail through beautiful pine stand 27-Sep Healy East Charlemont 493 Pine/Hemlock harvest 27-Sep Healy East Charlemont 493 Stream crossing, bridge, riparian area 27-Sep Healy East Charlemont 493 Sawmill interview landowner/operator 10

13 2.4. Standards MWC s certification assessment was conducted using the National Review Draft: Forest Certification Standards for New England and New York, developed by the Northeast Region FSC Working Group, April To obtain a copy of these guidelines contact SmartWood at the Goodwin Baker Building, 65 Millet St., suite 201, Richmond, VT 05477, tel: (802) , fax: (802) , or info@smartwood.org 2.5. Stakeholder consultation process and results The purpose of the stakeholder consultation strategy for this assessment was to ensure that the public is aware of and informed about the assessment process and its objectives, and to assist the field assessment team in identifying potential issues. The process of stakeholder interaction does not stop after the field visits, or for that matter, after even a certification decision is made. SmartWood welcomes, at any time, comments on certified operations and such comments often provide a basis for field auditing. In the case of MWC, prior to the actual assessment process, a public consultation stakeholder document was developed and distributed by and mail. Through input from MWC, SmartWood and the assessment team, an initial list of stakeholders was developed and public announcements were distributed to them. This list also provided a basis for the assessment team to select people for interviews (in person or by telephone or through ). Issues Identified Through Stakeholder Comments and Public Meetings The stakeholder consultation activities were organized to give participants the opportunity to provide comments according to general categories of interest based upon the assessment criteria. The table below summarizes the issues identified by the assessment team with a brief discussion of each based upon specific interview and/or public meeting comments. Table 5: Stakeholder Comments FSC Principle Stakeholder Comments SmartWood Response P1: FSC No comments given Not necessary. Commitment/ Legal Compliance P2: Tenure & Use No comments given Not necessary. Rights & Responsibilities P3 Indigenous No comments given Not necessary. Peoples Rights P4: Community Relations & Workers Rights MWC members are active participants in the community, and have invited university classes and other folks considering the formation of cooperative groups to visit their Comments support findings. P5: Benefits from the Forest properties for field learning sessions. An MWC member worked with a local CDC on a demonstration project aimed at strengthening and enriching the local economy through making local connections between the woodlands and woodworkers. Comments support findings. 11

14 P6: Environmental No comments given Not necessary. Impact P7: Management No comments given Not necessary. Plan P8: Monitoring & No comments given Not necessary. Assessment P9: Maintenance of No comments given Not necessary. High Conservation Value Forest P10 - Plantations No comments given Not necessary. 3. RESULTS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1. General Discussion of Findings Table 6: Findings by FSC Principle Principle/Subject Area P1: FSC Commitment and Legal Compliance P2: Tenure & Use Rights & Responsibilities P3 Indigenous Peoples Rights P4: Community Relations & Workers Rights Strengths MWC is a model for cooperatives developed around FSC P&C. Mission and objectives of MWC describe intent for participation in FSC. MWC has an excellent internal control system and monitoring protocol. MA DEM foresters involved in Resource Group and internal review board. All sales over 25 MBF required to comply with Mass Regs. MWC was extremely well prepared for assessment team. Chapter 61 (MA State program) requires description of deed book and page data. Boundaries well identified for MWC properties visited. Use rights and responsibilities are clear on MWC properties. No legal disputes noted. No known conflicts with indigenous peoples. Owners willing to respect prehistoric sites if identified. MWC has sponsored workshops, tours and lectures. MWC promotes logger safety through the Game of Logging program. MWC landowners allow for nonmotorized recreational use where appropriate. The structure of MWC cooperative promotes social interaction of member owners. None None None None Weaknesses P5: Benefits from the Forest MWC is structured to improve value added opportunities for members. Collaboration with UMASS faculty with expertise in marketing and economics. None 12

15 P6: Environmental Impact P7: Management Plan P8: Monitoring & Assessment P9: Maintenance of High Conservation Value Forest P10 - Plantations MWC mission and objectives focus on improved stand quality through appropriate silviculture. MWC open to exploring NTFP opportunities where they exist. Owner forests used as an educational tool for members, school groups and others. MWC intent on maintaining low overhead to insure best return to owners and reduce leverage on growing stock. MWC s Chapter 132 cutting plans incorporate protection of streams, wetlands, certified vernal pools and Natural Heritage sites. MWC s internal review protocol incorporates FSC standards. Management information system and GIS incorporates MASS GIS data on known/mapped features. MWC s Resource Group provides knowledge and guidance on dealing with ecological features. MWC s mission and objectives describe interest in protecting ecologically important functions/features. All MWC properties are enrolled in the MA Chapter 61 (current use) program that requires a management plan. All MWC properties have current management plans. MWC has a self-analysis of plan compliance with FSC requirements. GIS system compiles spatial data on all member properties and allows for property specific mapping. Management information system compiles data from all plans in one place for planning/management purposes. MWC has a growth and yield analysis using Quabbin growth data by stand type. MWC has an internal review protocol based on FSC NE standards. MWC has an annual internal review based on preparation for annual FSC audit; this may include field visits to MWC certified pool properties. MWC s management information system tracks activities on member properties MWC members Chapter 61 plans are compared to MA Natural Heritage Almanac to determine whether or not endangered species are present. A very small plantation on one property is to be converted to natural forest. MWC will use natural regeneration in all cases. There will be limited use of enrichment planting where appropriate. MWC will modify objectives to include Assessment of environmental impacts relies strongly on the Chapter 132 cutting plan review process that is not required on harvests less than 25 mbf or for noncommercial use of landowner. A hydrologically sensitive area was not demarcated in a manner visible to the skidder operator, and trees were harvested in a noharvest zone. No template plan was provided illustrating how gaps in existing plans will be addressed. There is no standardized system for inventory data collection or requirement for statistics from consultants. None None None 13

16 statement describing reliance on natural regeneration Certification Decision Based on a thorough field review, analysis and compilation of findings by this SmartWood assessment team MWC is recommended to receive joint FSC/SmartWood Forest Management and Chain of Custody (FM/COC) Certification with the stipulated conditions. In order to maintain certification, MWC will be audited annually on-site and required to remain in compliance with the FSC principles and criteria as further defined by regional guidelines developed by SmartWood or the FSC. MWC will also be required to fulfill the conditions as described below. Experts from SmartWood will review continued forest management performance and compliance with the conditions described in this report, annually during scheduled and random audits Conditions and Recommendations Conditions are verifiable actions that will form part of the certification agreement that MWC will be expected to fulfill at the time of the first audit or as required in the condition. Each condition has an explicit time period for completion. Noncompliance with conditions will lead to de-certification. These conditions apply only to those properties in MWC s certified pool. Conditions Condition 1: Effective immediately upon certification, MWC should develop an internal review procedure, and/or utilize existing review mechanisms such as a Chapter 132 Forest Cutting Plans, that ensures compliance with FSC standards where any management practice is conducted on MWC certified pool forestlands. (Criterion 6.1) Condition 2: Effective immediately upon certification, when timber is not marked for harvest, streamside management areas and other hydrologically sensitive areas should be demarcated prior to a harvest in a manner that is visible from the seat of a skidder. (Criterion 6.5) Condition 3: Within one year of certification, MWC should present a schedule and system to bring all management plans in compliance with all the elements of Criterion 7.1. (Criterion 7.1) Condition 4: Within three years of certification, all management plans should include the required elements of Criterion 7.1 of the April 2001 Draft of Forest Certification Standards for New England and New York. This can be accomplished by revision of plan or the development of an addendum. (Criterion 7.1) Condition 5: Throughout the certification period, MWC shall provide documentation to enable monitoring and certifying organisations to trace each forest product from its origin on a property within MWC s certified pool, a process known as the "chain-of-custody. (Criterion 8.3) 14

17 1.1 Audit Process SmartWood Certification Annual Addendum to the Public Summary for Massachusetts Woodland Cooperative, 2004 A. Audit year: 2004 B. Dates of Audit: August, 20, 2004 C. Audit Team: Thomas Degnan, Jr., sole proprietor of T.DEGNAN Land Management Consulting, LLC, has 13 years of experience managing land in Southern New England for landowners such as municipal water departments, conservation groups, utility companies and private landowners. He has a degree in Forestry from The University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 1991 and is both a Connecticut Certified Forester and a Licensed Forester in Massachusetts. D. Audit Overview: The 2004 annual audit is the first for MWC following their initial assessment with SmartWood in Prior to the field visit, the auditor reviewed relevant documents to identify conditions and issues relating to the MWC certification. A Pre-Visit Activity Summary for SmartWood Audit 2004 was provided by MWC to address the conditions prior to my field visit and was very helpful in the preparation process. The field visit began at MWC s office in South Deerfield. The auditor reviewed the FSC gap analysis checklist and the various conditions set forth by the 2003 SmartWood Assessment report. The auditor and MWC staff discussed MWC s current operations and the sites to visit that day. We went into the field at approximately 12:00 and visited 3 sites. The sites visited included on-going and recently completed projects. The auditor visited most of the properties that have had activities on them since the 2003 assessment. MWC staff suggested the properties to visit based on field time available and location of the properties to one another. E. Sites Visited: 1) Mass Woodlands Cooperative office at 1 Sugarloaf St., South Deerfield, MA. 2) David and Gail Kielson Property, West Chesterfield, MA. The Kielson Property has a 90 mbf timber sale marked in a pine and hardwood stand. Harvesting activities were shut down at the time of the audit due to wet conditions. The landing and skid trail layout and timber marking was observed during the field visit. Appropriate road surface stabilization measures were in place. The marking followed the prescription in the management plan. Very little stand damage was observed. 3) Jay Healy Property, Hall Tavern Farm, Charlemont, MA. We looked at a completed timber sale as well as Mr. Healy s old sawmill and the construction of his new one that will be, in part, one of the primary processing points for certified products from MWC member properties. This harvest took place in a pine and mixed hardwood forest type. Specific attention was given to releasing healthy white pine and red oak saplings. Initiating regeneration was also an important aspect of this harvest in some locations. A forest stewardship trail that is open to the public was protected during the harvest. Massachusetts BMP s were followed. Skid trails were well stabilized and the East Oxbow Brook was well protected with a no-cut buffer along the banks. The silvicultural prescriptions outlined in the management plan were followed very well. Very little 15

18 residual stand damage was noticed and regeneration was abundant in many patches. Overall, this was an excellent example of forestry. 4) David Damery Property, Greenfield, MA. This harvest, as outlined in the management plan, was designed to improve the health of the red pine and allow more light to reach the natural hardwood regeneration in the understory. The red pine plantation was not very healthy and excellent natural hardwood regeneration had begun to establish itself. There was very little residual stand damage to either the remaining red pine or the regeneration. Massachusetts BMP s were followed well during and timbersale. The site was well stabilized following the work. F. Personnel Interviewed: The following people were consulted during this audit:. Person interviewed Position/Organization Susan Campbell Associate Director, Mass Woodlands Coop Jay Healy Executive Director, MWC member landowner Arthur W. Eve President Kristina Ferrare Administrative Assistant G. Documentation reviewed: Pre-visit activity summary for SmartWood Audit 2004 SmartWood Certification Assessment Report, April 9, 2003 Directions for the Preparation of a Management Plan to achieve Green Certification Standards, January This official MWC document is designed to help member landowners and their foresters prepare management plans that meet FSC standards. Massachusetts Woodlands Cooperative: Protocol for Green Certification, February 5, 2004 Member Harvest Checklist Harvesting Contract Guidelines for Meeting FSC Certification on MWC Lands, Draft 9/22/ General Audit Findings and Conclusions Following MWC S initial assessment, they have made excellent strides towards unifying many landowners and foresters to manage MWC member lands under a single set of guidelines that meets FSC standards. In the past year, 8 new members were added to the MWC FSC certified group totaling 1021 acres. During the same period of time, 3 members totaling 163 acres left the group. MWC s group now includes 21 members and a total of 3,166 acres. MWC s activity summary indicates that there has been 204 mbf and 147 cords harvested from 6 properties on 42 acres. These activities include conversion from a plantation towards a natural hardwood stand, lumber for a timber framing business and for flooring as well as a pilot project including black locust lumber. The FSC Northeast Standards Gap Analysis was reviewed to verify conformance with the formally approved FSC Standards for the Northeast region. The FSC standards for the Northeast region were in draft form at the time of the MWC assessment. MWC was found to be in conformance with the updated standards. 16

19 Although not a requirement of their certification, MWC has elected to implement a Recommendation issued during the initial assessment (Criterion 6.7) and is in the process of adding a spill provision to their contracts with loggers and requiring member landowners to include similar wording in their contracts with loggers. All plans from newly enrolled members meet FSC standards. All but 3 members from the original pool are currently in conformance with FSC standards. The final 3 members are scheduled to have the final revisions to their plans completed by September MWC was found to be in conformance with FSC standards and the conditions set forth in the 2003 Assessment. The auditor recommends that MWC maintain FSC certification with SmartWood. 1.3 Status of Conditions and Corrective Action Requests (CARs) A. Compliance Summary of Previously Issued Conditions and CARs MWC has fully satisfied all four Conditions requiring conformance during their first year of FSC certification, including Condition 5, which should be revisited as appropriate during future audits. Condition 1: Closed 2004 Condition 2: Closed 2004 Condition 3: Closed 2004 Condition 5: Met/Ongoing B. New CARs Issued in this Audit No new CARs have been issued. 17

20 SmartWood Certification Annual Addendum to the Public Summary for Massachusetts Woodland Cooperative 2005; SW-FM/COC AUDIT PROCESS 1.1 Auditors and qualifications: Anthony Filauro is a Maine Licensed Professional Forester. He holds BS ( 68) and MS ( 73) degrees in forestry from the University of Maine. He worked in private industry between 1968 and 2003 in survey and inventory, research and forest operations. He has been doing private consulting work since He has received training to conduct Forest Stewardship Council audits and assessments and has undertaken previous work for SmartWood. 1.2 Audit schedule Date Location /main Main activities sites 9/17/05 Desk audit Review of initial MWC assessment report and the 2004 audit. 10/12-14/05 Desk audit Review of materials received from MWC: 1. Activity Summary for SW Desk Audit 2005; 2. MWC Protocol for Green Certification (9/14/05); 3. Status of Member Management Plan by Certification Pool Year, and 4. MWC Certified Standing Inventory. The 2004 audit and related materials were again reviewed. 1.3 Sampling methodology: Draft of desk audit completed. Massachusetts Woodlands Cooperative is enrolled in the SLIMF Program, (Small and Low Intensity Managed Forests) or the Family Forest Program as it is referred to in the United States. The Family Forest Program was developed to make certification more accessible and affordable through streamlined reporting and reduced audit intensity, including the potential substitution of some onsite audits with desk or documentation audits. The 2005 audit was conducted as a desk audit. Sites were not visited in the field. 1.4 Stakeholder consultation process 18