Joint Chiefs Landscape Restoration Partnership Project FY 2016 Progress Report

Transcription

1 Project Name: Collaborative Oak Management in Ohio s Appalachian Mountains Natural Resource Conservation Service Doug Pauley Assistant State Conservationist USDA-NRCS Ohio State Office, Area Doug.Pauley@oh.usda.gov jbartig@fs.fed.us United States Forest Service Jarel Bartig Ohio Interagency Liaison USDA-FS Wayne National Forest Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry Cotton Randall, Cooperative Forest Management Administrator Department of Natural Resources Cotton.Randall@dnr.state.oh.us Project Description: Forest managers are working together to restore oak-hickory forests in the Appalachian foothills of southeastern Ohio, part of the oldest and most biologically diverse forest systems in North America. The project area contains 42% of Ohio s forest land. Given that 90% of forests in the region are privately owned and the average land parcel size is small (17 acres), restoring oakhickory forests is impossible without coordination between forest management agencies and collaboration with private citizens. Oak-hickory forests provide important habitat for a variety of wildlife and at-risk species, protect the watersheds of the Upper Ohio River Basin and contribute significantly to the regional economy through forest products and recreation. They represent the major forest types in this region and currently dominate forest canopies but are under-represented or completely absent from the understory. The most recent report from the US Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis program reported that oaks represent 35% of the trees 20 inches or greater in diameter but only 5% of trees 2 to 4 inches in diameter (Widmann et al. 2014). These forests are at a tipping point the future of oak forests is in our hands. Decline of oaks and hickories can be attributed to a variety of factors, including, but not limited to: Unsustainable timber harvesting practices that favor other species Lack of prescribed fire Dramatic increase in pests, pathogens and non-native invasive species Through the Joint Chiefs Landscape Restoration Partnership, the Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service are working with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Forestry, Ohio State University Extension and others to begin to reverse this trend on public and private woodlands across the project area.

2 The goals of the project are to: Protect water quality and improve wildlife habitat Build on the 2008 Ohio Interagency Forestry Team Memorandum of Understanding by expanding capacity to connect with local partnerships and engage private landowners Coordinate inventory, management and monitoring of oak-hickory forests to better deliver government services and implement management at landscape scale. The intended outcomes of the project are to implement four oak-hickory restoration treatment projects and four cross-boundary coordination projects. The long-term intention is to create a new interagency business model whereby annual programs of work, training, outreach and agency authorities are integrated to increase agency capacity for partnerships and to achieve tangible ecosystem outcomes. Oak-hickory Restoration Projects Coordinated Ailanthus and other invasive treatments Feral Swine Control Prescribed Fire Forest Stand Improvement Cross-boundary Coordination Projects Integrated Inventories Interagency Outreach and Training Coordination Oak Forest Adaptation Planning & Practices Modeling Silviculture and Prescribed Fire Needs at the Landscape Scale Other Non-Federal Partners: Athens Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) held two workshops in addition to providing technical and promotional support. An Ash Mortality program was held November 15 th focusing on canopy composition and methods to favor oak; 13 private woodland owners attended. The second event was an Invasive Species Workshop held September 30 th at Lake Snowden and had 15 landowners in attendance. Glatfelter Paper Company has a representative that serves on the planning committee for A Day in the Woods, prints annual program brochures and provides financial support for programming. This company was formerly Mead Paper, the original builders of the Training

3 Center and the first coordinators for management demonstration sites at what is today the Vinton Furnace State Experimental Forest. Hocking College Natural Resources Program through its School of Natural Resources are involved in the planning and hosting of the Day in the Woods and are closely engaged in promoting collaborative oak management in southeastern Ohio. National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) through the Ohio Regional Biologist has been working to improve early successional habitat and to restore oak-hickory woodlands. NWTF has helped implement 2,276 acres of Ailanthus and Paulownia treatments since 2014 and is helping to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment techniques and herbicides. The NWTF is working with the Wayne NF to complete crop tree release on several hundred acres that will promote healthy oak - hickory forests. NWTF is also working with ODNR Division of Forestry to complete nonnative invasive plant treatments on state lands. NWTF has also contributed funds toward a regional effort led by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to eliminate feral swine populations across southeastern Ohio. During Federal Fiscal Year 2016 this effort removed 185 feral hogs from Wayne National Forest property, and private land within 5 miles of Wayne NF boundaries. NWTF is a long-term partner dedicated to oak-hickory restoration in southeastern Ohio. Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science continues to provide scientific support through the Central Appalachians Climate Change Response Framework that covers 29 million acres in eastern Ohio, West Virginia and western Maryland. Staff made three visits to southeastern Ohio this year to participate in two workshops: Tools to Engage Private Landowners Effectively and an interagency coordination workshop. Staff also co-led a climate change outreach event for private landowners, participated in a FS U-tube video and created an Ohio Partnership page about collaborative oak management on the Central Appalachian Climate Change Response Framework website at Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative developed a new five-part video series on managing forests for birds to provide landowners with information and access to tools and resources to manage their property for wildlife ( Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife participated in interagency workshops and collaboration around eco-mapping in support of landscape scale modeling for silviculture and prescribed fire needs and wildlife habitat. They are also contributing to a regional SILVAH inventory dataset. Ohio State University Extension is providing a dedicated Outreach Coordinator to facilitate communication internally among principal partners and externally with potential collaborators. The Outreach Coordinator is leading efforts to reach out to woodland owners through a Day in the Woods, reach out to service providers through training such as Oak-SILVAH. This position is a member of the core project team. The position coordinates interagency communication

4 through workshops and by hosting a blog site, assists with upward reporting and is strategically helping the agencies build capacity to be able to grow the collaborative. The Nature Conservancy Ohio Chapter has protected 3,000 acres within a forested corridor between the Shawnee State Forest and its nearby Edge of Appalachia Preserve. The Conservancy also implemented 200 acres of prescribed fire treatments at the Edge of Appalachia Preserve and protected the 1,000 acre Smoky Run tract above the Ohio River and adjacent to the preserve. The Nature Conservancy is also working with ODNR Division of Forestry to complete coordinated non-native invasive plant treatments on their Edge of Appalachia preserve and on state lands. Ohio Tree Farm Committee sponsors the Ohio Woodland Journal, which will feature the first of a series of articles about oak in the fall 2016 edition. The Committee is also a sponsor of a Day in the Woods. Vinton County and Extension Office provides financial oversight and processes all landowner registrations for a Day in the Woods. Vinton Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) through the Forestry Wildlife Specialist provides logistical support and instruction to a Day in the Woods. The Vinton SWCD Technician has also supported collaborative oak management by writing Forest Management Plans and providing promotional information to the public through the SWCD Newsletter and events. Funds Obligated To Date: NRCS EQIP Financial & Technical Assistance LRP Funds FY 2016 FY 2015 (If Applicable) $541, $266, Additional NRCS Funds (Non-LRP Funds such as CTA, General EQIP, etc.) FS - National Forest System $326, $477, FS- Hazardous Fuels $0 $0 FS- State and Private $64,400 $357, Forestry FS Non-LRP Funds $0 $156, Other (partner investments) Agriculture Conservation Experienced Services Program Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services Ohio $35, $171, $2, $24, Forest Service Volunteer Hours $2, National Wild Turkey Federation $7, $7, Ohio Department of Natural $100,000.00

5 Resources Ohio State University Extension Tools for Engaging Landowners Workshop Vinton County Soil & Water Conservation District $25, $34,339 $2, Total $967, $1,408, Conservation Highlight: A second interagency collaborative oak workshop was held June 23 rd with 65 participants from Natural Resources Conservation Service Areas 3 and 5, Ohio Department of Natural Resources Divisions of Forestry and Wildlife, Northeastern Area Morgantown Field Office, Northern Research Station Delaware Lab, The National Wild Turkey Federation and the National Institute of Applied Climate Science. The workshop resulted in the formation of four working groups and a blog site to facilitate internal communication ( An Interagency Liaison was hired in July through an agreement between the Wayne National Forest and Natural Resources Conservation Service Ohio State Office. Project Accomplishments: Federal Lands Activity/Treatment FY 2016 FY 2015 (If Applicable) Target Actual Target Actual Feral Swine 2,000 acres 2,000 acres 2,400 acres Forest Stand 1,348 acres 1,507 acres 1,348 acres 1,988 acres Improvement Integrated inventories (remote sensing stand layer updates) 120,000 acres 26,293 acres 120,000 acres 17,941 acres Non-native Invasives 1,500 acres 1,887 acres 1,500 acres 2,077 acres Prescribed Fire 3,000 acres 2,831 acres 3,000 acres 2,610 acres

6 State or Tribal Lands Activity/Treatment FY 2016 FY 2015 (If Applicable) Target Actual Target Actual Forest Stand 25 acres 25 acres 100 acres 0 Improvement Non-native invasive 1,500 acres 1,380 acres 1,500 acres 0 species *The ODNR Division of Forestry and FS State & Private Forestry Agreement was not signed until 31 August 2015; treatments were contracted in FY16 but funding for additional treatments in year 2 were not available.. Private Lands FY 2016 FY 2015 (If Applicable) # of Total Acres # of Total Acres Contracts Target Actual Contracts Target Actual or Plans or Plans EQIP Contracts 85 1,700 2, ,700 2,540 Obligated New Conservation Plans or Forest Management Plans *Plans were not funded through the Joint Chiefs Initiative EQIP Practices Implemented Practice #666: forest stand improvement Practice #314: brush management FY 2016 FY 2015 (If Applicable) Quantity Units Quantity Units 1,174 acres 855 Acres 2,358 acres 1,685 Acres Outcomes Achieved and Benefits Realized: Oak-hickory Restoration Projects have resulted in changes on the landscape that will move us toward climate-change resilient forests that in turn will provide environmental services to local communities and support forest industry. Coordinated Non-native Invasive Species Treatments - Non-native invasive treatments for tree of heaven and princess tree were implemented again this year on both federal, state and private lands. - Standardized monitoring protocols for treatment techniques and herbicide efficacies are being put in place by state and federal managers.

7 Feral Swine Control - Year two of a five year agreement was implemented between the Wayne National Forest and USDA APHIS Wildlife Services for feral swine control efforts in southeastern Ohio. - A total of 217 feral swine were removed in Ohio, approximately 90% inside or within five miles of the administrative units of the Wayne National Forest. Prescribed Fire - The Wayne National Forest treated 2,831 acres of oak-hickory forested stands on the Ironton Ranger District. - Treatments were conducted at a landscape scale, treating understory and mid-story hardwoods shading out the understory of oak-hickory stands. - Nearly 100 of these acres were also in combination with a previous regeneration harvest. Prescribed fire on these acres was used to promote existing oak-hickory regeneration to dominance in the understory thus setting the trajectory for oak-hickory to become the canopy of the future stand. Forest Stand Improvement A variety of forest stand improvement treatments were implemented on the Wayne National Forest including: - Release of oak crop trees in young stands (19 acres), - Supplemental oak planting project (40 acres), - Manual site preparation of a partial stand (20 acres) previously treated with a regeneration harvest but not able to receive the prescribed fire treatment implemented on the rest of the stand because of operational considerations. - The majority of treatments were restorative stand improvement treatments (940 acres) deploying chainsaw removal of larger diameter (2-6 inches) competing undesirable hardwoods shading the midstory of oak-hickory dominated stands. - The remaining 488 acres included additional removal of the non-native invasive tree of heaven and princess tree. These treatments are critical before and after silvicultural treatments that can provide opportunity for invasive species to invade. Cross-boundary Coordination Projects have resulted in better internal coordination across agencies and given us tools that in turn will improve delivery of government programs and services to implement management of oak at the landscape scale. Outreach Coordination The Ohio State University Extension Specialist as part of the interagency core team is providing critical expertise on effective ways to coordinate internal communication as well as the development of communication tools and products for external application. The following accomplishments were achieved this year:

8 - 33 natural resource managers and communication specialists participated in a two day workshop to learn new Tools to More Effectively Engage Private Landowners (see attached Success Story) - A second interagency coordination workshop was held with 65 participants - A new internal agency blog was created for the project to facilitate staff collaboration ( - A Day in the Woods provided 10 programs and reached out to 9 programs and 413 attendees in 2016 (see Success Story) - 4-day SILVAH-oak training workshop was provided to 33 agency managers - A three hour SILVAH refresher training was also offered to managers already using the program Integrated Inventories Created and hosted by the Conservation Biology Institute, Data Basin is being utilized as a platform to share data in support of planning for landscape scale management. The free and open access design of Data Basin enables the sharing of information between multiple agencies, each with their own corporate databases that do not readily allow sharing. - A Group Workspace was created for the project; current members include staff from the Wayne NF, Ohio Division of Forestry, USFS Northern Research Station Delaware Lab, and Ohio State University Extension. - Treatment data for harvest, non-native invasive species and prescribed fire have been loaded for state and federal lands. - Relevant planning layers have also been loaded for the 17 county project area. - A cross-walk of datasets has been created and a Data Dictionary of terms is in progress. - A data management meeting was held to make decisions on how to incorporate five existing SILVAH inventory datasets into one regional data-set for southeastern Ohio. Forest Adaptation - A climate change outreach event for private landowners was held on August 12 th at the Vinton Furnace State Experimental Forest and a You-tube video created (see attached Success Story). - A new partnership page about Collaborative Oak Management in Ohio was developed on the Central Appalachian Climate Change Response Framework website at

9 Modeling Silviculture and Prescribed Fire Need at the Landscape Scale - SILVAH inventory data was collected by the Northern Research Station and The Ohio State University on the Athens Management Unit. - The model used by The Northern Research Station to map eco-units on the Wayne was peer-reviewed by the Forest Service Eastern Regional Ecologist, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Ohio Divisions of Forestry and Wildlife. - Descriptors for eco-units mapped across the Wayne National Forest were developed from the model statistics. - The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Divisions of Forestry and Wildlife finalized boundaries on an adjacent Vinton/Zaleski Forest Landscape for ecomapping. Community Benefits: In the mid-1960s, one of every three Appalachians lived in poverty and per capita income was 23% lower than the U.S. average. High unemployment and harsh living conditions in the 1950s had forced more than 2 million Appalachians to leave their homes in seek of work in other regions. Legislation developed with bi-partisan support of Congress, called the Appalachian Regional Development Act, was passed and signed into law in All of the counties in the project area have designation under this law and the communities that occur here represent historically underserved populations. Increasing agency capacity to more efficiently and effectively deliver government services and implementing treatments that contribute to more resilient forests is providing benefit to local communities in southeastern Ohio. The economy in these Appalachian counties is highly dependent on forest industry. Eight of the top nine forested counties in Ohio are located in the project area. Hardwood forests comprise 96% of Ohio s forest volume with oak-hickory forests being the most common. For the 17 county project area, forestry industry accounts for the following: $272 million in income labor, $482 million in value added, $1.6 billion in industrial output and more than 5,000 jobs ( The most recent data from the U.S. Forest service shows that 30% of the volume of wood harvested in Ohio comes from oaks (Forest Inventory and Analysis 2016). This percentage is even higher for southeastern Ohio. Additionally, more than 50% of the lumber consumed in the Amish Furniture industry centered in Holmes County, Ohio is oak (Bumgardner et. al. 2011). One historic use of white oak is cooperage. White oak barrels had many uses, but there has been a recent resurgence in demand for use in the wine and spirits industry. Southern Ohio is now home to Speyside Bourbon Cooperage which began producing barrels in Jackson in August Another barrel manufacturer, Brown-Foreman, a subsidiary of Jack Daniel s Tennessee Whiskey, has been producing barrel parts in Jackson county for several years. Employment opportunities Seasonal positions and contract opportunities have been created through this project and provide local employment opportunities. Two term Forester positions were created and hired by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry to implement treatments, and two

10 seasonal employees were hired by the Wayne National Forest to help with feral swine elimination work. Vendors were hired through treatment contracts both on the Wayne National Forest and on private lands. Education Private woodland owners engaging in oak restoration contracts are gaining education and experience in oak management. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry s Call Before You Cut ( outreach program began in the late 1990s, expanded to a statewide effort in 2006, and as of 2016 includes participation of 9 states (MD, MI, MN, IA, MO, IL, IN,OH, WV). Support for collaborative oak management will accelerate the application of practices on the land and leverage existing funds and resources. Oak and forest management have been a focus of many of the 38 programs offered since 2012 in the A Day in the Woods-2nd Friday Series program at the Vinton Furnace State Forest. Over 4 years, 1513 attendees have received education on oak management and restoration. Attendees that filled out program evaluations reported owning 78,222 acres. Health and Safety Removal of feral swine from the project area not only protects the resource, but removes a threat to human safety. Oak-hickory Restoration Projects have resulted in changes on the landscape that will move us toward climate-change resilient forests that in turn will provide environmental services to local communities (i.e. clean air and water, slow of flash flooding, recreation, fuel for heating) Success Story: See attached Success Stories entitled: - Engaging Landowners in Oak Management: Sustaining Family Forests Initiative - Preparing Your Woods for an Uncertain Future: A Day in the Woods

11 Lessons Learned and Adaptive Management: Problem/Success Impact Recommendations Year 2 funding uncertainties: 25% reduction NFS WO allocation in year 2 FS State & Private funding reduced by 84% Impacted on-going partnership commitments difference was supplemented by Eastern Regional Office Funding shortfall nationally Stable funding for a minimum of 3 years is needed to catalyze a business model for long-term permanent collaboration. Increase in Stewardship fund allocations. Interagency file sharing and communication Data Sharing SharePoint and contact directories available between federal partners only Agency Corporate Databases each have their own requirements and data management protocols and may contain sensitive information that must be protected. Ohio State Extension Partner has tools and expertise to host internal blog site and capacity to facilitate internal and external outreach and coordination Data Basin is a tool that allows for sharing and crosswalking of data and can also provide data security protection as needed.

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13 OHIO April 1, 2016 ENGAGING LANDOWNERS IN OAK MANAGEMENT Sustaining Family Forests Initiative Thirty-three natural resource managers and communication specialists from the Wayne National Forest, Natural Resources Conservation Service Ohio, Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Ohio State University Extension participated in a training workshop. The intent of the workshop was to help build staff capacity to better engage landowners across the 17 county focus area in the Ohio Joint Chiefs Restoration project for Collaborative Oak Management. The two day workshop was facilitated through the Sustaining Family Forests Initiative (SFFI), a collaboration between the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, US Forest Service Northeastern Area and the Center for Nonprofit Strategies. SFFI combines principles of targeted marketing with data from the National Woodland Owner Survey to help organizations and natural resource professionals tailor their communications and outreach efforts to the knowledge level, values and style of their target landowner audiences. This allows for more persuasive and meaningful communication and better results. During the workshop, SFFI facilitators taught participants how to use tools and approaches identified on the Tools for Engaging Landowners Effectively (TELE) learning site ( to achieve more effective and efficient landowner outreach around oak management. For two thirds of the workshop, participants worked in small groups with a facilitator, who walked them through the steps to explore and develop strategies to communicate about oak to woodland owners and Ohio s citizenry using concepts of targeted marketing. One group addressed a project for treating non-native invasive woody plants, a second group addressed a forest stand improvement project, and a third group worked on overarching communication strategies for collaborative oak management. Each group presented their results at the end of the workshop. Since April, participants have used their newfound skills to create flyers for several woodland owner programs, an internal project blog and a shared slogan that resonates with all: the future of oak is in your hands! Forest Service Wayne National Forest US Hwy 33, Nelsonville, OH Voice (740) Fax(740) USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

14 OHIO August 12, 2016 PREPARING YOUR WOODS FOR AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE A Day in the Woods Private woodland owners control most of the forest resource in southeastern Ohio and are critical to maintaining forest health. Extreme weather events are becoming more common, temperatures appear to be warming resulting in more frequent drought, and populations of invasive species like emerald ash borer and tree-of-heaven continue to invade. All of these factors can impact the woods. Additionally, national and global timber markets are influencing the value of timber resources. Preparing Your Woods for an Uncertain Future was a program held for private landowners to help them better understand the potential impacts that these trends may have on their woodlands. This program brought together family woodland owners with natural resource scientists and professionals to facilitate technology transfer. Landowners were introduced to proactive strategies they can employ to minimize these risks and improve the health and resiliency of their woodlands for future generations. Featured presenters included Patricia Butler, Outreach Specialist, Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science; Stephanie Downs, Forestry Professor, Hocking College School of Natural Resources; Matt Bumgardner, Forest Products Technologist and Louis Iverson, Research Landscape Ecologist, US Forest Service Northern Research Station; and Dave Apsley, Natural Resource Specialist, Ohio State University Extension. Presenters helped landowners to: - Explore past trends and predicted changes in climate and extreme weather events - Understand the adaptability and vulnerability of our oak dominated woodlands to these trends - Learn about invasive plants, insects and diseases that pose current and future threats to woodlands - Become familiar with global timber markets and how they may impact the value of their trees - Minimize risks to their woods by increasing the diversity and structure of native species, enhancing individual tree and overall forest health, and reducing pressure and impacts of invasive species. Forest Service Wayne National Forest US Hwy 33, Nelsonville,OH Voice: (740) Fax: (740) USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

15 Morning presentations and discussions were held inside the training center then participants enjoyed a catered lunch together before heading out to the field. Field exercises included looking at the inventory of a stand and what the different stages of oak-hickory regeneration look like as well as how to evaluate crop trees. An exercise using different colored flagging to help landowners visualize tree species responses to climate change trends helped bring the day s discussion together. In closing, landowners shared that they would survey the trees on their properties, consider crop tree release of young mast trees, reevaluate which species they might plant, and give much more consideration to where and how they would manage their trees. The program was held at the Vinton Furnace State Experimental Forest with thirty-three participants. Oak and forest management have been a focus of many of the 39 programs offered since 2012 through A Day in the Woods. Over 4 years, 1,564 attendees have received education on oak management and restoration influencing more than 78,222 acres of private woodlands. See the events Facebook posting with video on the Wayne National Forest at Forest Service Wayne National Forest US Hwy 33, Nelsonville,OH Voice: (740) Fax: (740) USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.