danwilms
Posts: 130
Joined: 12/29/2006
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Here's the chance to be heard. Don't buy into the BS about how you'll just hurt yourselves if you make a stink. that's the only reason any forests are still open.
Forums on state forest stewardship start in Westborough
The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is sponsoring five public forums in February, beginning with one in Westborough, to discuss draft recommendations on the future stewardship and management of forest lands within the Massachusetts state parks system.
DCR began the Forest Futures Visioning Process last spring to determine how best to manage the myriad public benefits and values of forest land within the agency’s parks system,
including recreation, tourism, aesthetics, renewable forest products, habitat diversity, and
landscape ecology, and how to strike the appropriate balance among them.
According to a DCR press release today, the process has several components, including formation of an advisory group of stakeholders and the Technical Steering Committee. The Steering Committee, which includes academics, practitioners, and scientists, is developing the draft recommendations with input from the public and the stakeholders.
"We are committed to having an open, wide-ranging, public conversation about forests in
Massachusetts," said DCR Commissioner Richard K. Sullivan Jr. in the press release. "We had three public forums and forest tours over the summer, and we look forward to the Technical Steering Committee’s recommendations and hearing public comment."
DCR contracted with the Massachusetts Office of Dispute Resolution & Public Collaboration at UMass- Boston to develop a design for the public process, act as facilitators throughout its implementation, and ensure that the discussion and processes are unbiased.
Forums are scheduled at the following:
- Thursday, Feb. 4, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Westborough Public Library
55 West Main St., Westborough
(Snow date: Tuesday, Feb. 16)
- Saturday, Feb. 6, 10 a.m.– Noon
North Adams Public Library
74 Church St., North Adams
(Snow date: Saturday, Feb, 13)
- Saturday, Feb. 6, 2 – 4 p.m.
Berkshire Community College – Melville Hall Room 201
1350 West St., Pittsfield
(Snow date: Saturday, Feb. 13)
- Tuesday, Feb. 9, 5 – 7 p.m.
Jones Library
43 Amity St., Amherst
- Thursday, Feb. 11, 5 – 7 p.m.
Taunton Public Library
12 Pleasant St., Taunton
(Snow date: Thursday, Feb. 18)
The Technical Steering Committee is composed of 20 individuals who have a high level of
expertise in the issues, trends, and best practices of forest conservation and ecology, invasive
species, landscape ecology, natural resource economics and law, recreation, silviculture, social policy, aesthetics, watersheds, and wildlife habitat. They are advocates for good science, forest management, and process, and are respected by a broad cross-section of stakeholders.
The draft recommendations will be posted soon on the DCR website, www.mass.gov/dcr. The
public is encouraged to review the recommendations and comment on them by e-mail to
MODRDCRFFVP@umb.edu. The Technical Steering Committee is expected to make its final recommendations to DCR in late winter 2010.
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