COMMITTEE for RESPONSIBLE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

~Committed to Conservation, Education and the Preservation of our Natural Resources~

"Promoting Science Based Wildlife Management Decisions for a Better Massachusetts"

Our Corporate Sponsors

IMPORTANT! Make Your Voice Heard!

Attend a Public Forum or write a letter!

Tell our Massachusetts State Officials You Support Responsible USE and Management of our State Forest Lands

COMMENT PERIOD ENDS 02/22/2010

Here is a letter composed by Dicken Crane, President of the "Massachusetts Forest Landowners Association":

Dear Friends of Massachusetts Forests,

Your voice is needed now to combat a concerted effort to halt responsible management of state forest lands.  In response to complaints from opponents of forest management the state has initiated a Forest Visions process that will result in recommendations that could halt active management on the majority of our state forestlands.  This will greatly impede efforts to improve wildlife habitat, improve forest health, protect against harmful invasive pests, wildfire, and blowdowns, and support rural communities by providing wood products that create jobs and sustain local businesses. 

 Please make your voice heard on this important topic.  People who support the responsible management of our state forests must show up in force at the upcoming forest forums being held across the state by the Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Department of Dispute Resolution (see back for times and locations).  If you cannot attend please send a letter (see address below or via email to: MODRDCRFFVP@umb.edu) and also urge your local, regional, and state organizations to do the same.

TAKE THE DCR Public Survey [HERE]

Technical Steering Committee (TSC) Draft Recommendations [HERE]

Forum attendees and letter writers may want to emphasize these points:

·        I support responsible management of our state forestlands and I am concerned that my view has not been heard or represented in this process.

·        Reducing forest management will harm overall forest health and increase the likelihood of catastrophic fire, blowdowns, or insect outbreaks, and impede the forest’s capacity to recover from such events.

·        Forest management is an effective tool for improving habitat.  A wider range of wildlife species benefit from managed conditions than from non-managed forests.

·        Restricting harvesting on DCR forests will have a negative economic impact on rural communities.  Jobs will be lost, businesses will be closed, and the indirect economic impact of harvesting activity will be lost.

If we do not act now all those who depend upon state forests will lose a valuable resource, and the proponents of this action will turn their attention to other public and protected open spaces, and eventually to private lands. We must show that there is diverse and enthusiastic support for responsible forest and wildlife management in Massachusetts.

Sincerely,

Dicken Crane, President

To open above letter in Microsoft WORD, click here

Public Forums on Technical Steering Committee Draft Recommendations to DCR on the Stewardship and Management of DCR State Forest Lands

REVISED SCHEDULE as of February 4, 2010

·        Thursday, February 4, 2010 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Westborough Public Library - Meeting Room 55 West Main Street, Westborough, MA 01581 (Snow date: Tuesday, February 16)

·        Saturday, February 6, 2010 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
North Adams Public Library - Community Room 74 Church Street, North Adams, MA 01247 (Snow date: Saturday, February 13)

·        Saturday, February 6, 2010 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Berkshire Community College - Melville Hall, Room 201 1350 West Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201 (Snow date: Saturday, February 13)

·        Tuesday, February 9, 2010 – NEW LOCATION!  5 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.
*Amherst Regional Middle School - Cafeteria -  170 Chestnut Street, Amherst, MA 01002

·        Tuesday, February 9, 2010 – NEW LOCATION! - 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Amherst Regional Middle School – Cafeteria, 170 Chestnut Street, Amherst, MA 01002

·        Thursday, February 11, 2010 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Taunton Public Library - Auditorium
12 Pleasant Street, Taunton, MA 02780 (Snow date: Thursday, February 18

SEND EMAILS TO:  MODRDCRFFVP@umb.edu

Letters should be addressed to:

William Logue

Mass Office of Dispute Resolution

UMass Boston

100 Morrisey Blvd.

McCormick Building, 1^st Floor, Room 627

Boston, MA 02125-3393

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Last modified: June 30, 2012