The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), in partnership with the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science (NIACS), Mass Audubon, the New England Forestry Foundation, and Mass Woodlands Institute, hosted a three-session Climate Forestry Stewardship Planning training intended for licensed foresters interested in providing Climate Forestry services.

Climate Forestry is a Massachusetts DCR program providing cost share assistance to landowners to hire a qualified consulting forester to conduct a climate-focused forest assessment on their land. Consulting foresters must attend this training to become certified to provide this service to landowners. This training was approved for 6.5 and 6.25 Category I continuing education credits through the New England Society of American Foresters and Massachusetts DCR, respectively. 

Participating foresters should come with a property selected for which they will create or revise a Forest Stewardship Plan with a climate/carbon focus.

Training Goals & Activities

Using the new Massachusetts DCR Climate Forestry stewardship planning materials and Forester Guide as a foundation, participating foresters were encouraged to bring a real-world project to the training and consider how to integrate climate change and adaptation considerations into their assessment of landowners' properties.

The training consisted of 3 online sessions (1.5 hours each) and provided:

• An overview of the MA DCR Climate Forestry Program
• Presentations and interactive activities related to climate change impacts
• Guidance on integrating climate change considerations and adaptation into forest management
• A walkthrough of the new climate FSP directions and a sample plan

Resources

Training Slides: Session 1, Session 2, Session 3 Climate Communication, and Session 3 FSP Instructions.

Training Recordings: Session 3 - Landowner Communication and Plan Overview / Instructions

Climate Change Communication and Landowners

• Caring for your Woods - Setting Goals
• Caring for your Woods - Adapting to Changing Conditions
• Caring for your Woods - Managing for Forest Carbon
• Healthy Forests for our future: a management guide to increase carbon storage in Northeast forests

Forester and Forest Stewardship Plan Writing Resources

The following draft materials are being finalized. Direct links to the MA DCR website will be provided as they become available.

• Forest Stewardship Plan (FSP) Plan Directions and Forms (DCR website)
• Sample plan using new template
• Estimating Carbon for Forest Stewardship Climate Plans