Caring for Your Municipal Forests
Those who care for municipal forestland face challenges in addressing forest health and climate change impacts on forests —including limitations on their time, funding, and access to expertise. The Forest Climate Resilience Program (FCRP) provides support to communities to help them overcome these challenges and meet their forest stewardship goals. This support includes technical assistance, community outreach, and identifying funding sources. In its current phase, the FCRP focuses on communities within the Woodlands Partnership of Northwest Massachusetts Region but works to support all communities in sustainable forest stewardship.
The FCRP is a multi-partner initiative that is led by Mass Audubon. Visit the About page to learn more about the initiative’s partners.
Caring for Municipal Forest Land
Forestlands are essential for the ecological, social, and cultural wellbeing of our communities. Many communities make the decision to reach out to the Forest Climate Resilience Program for guidance on caring for their woods. Climate smart forest stewardship planning can support your community in:
- Understanding the steps you need to take to keep your community’s forests healthy;
- Reaching climate resilience and carbon or net-zero goals;
- Fulfilling forest-related objectives identified in your Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Plan, Open Space and Recreation Plan, or other municipal planning document; and
- Educating private landowners in how they can support natural climate solutions.
Getting Started
Communities across Massachusetts can join the Forest Climate Resilience Program with a few simple steps.
- Consider who in your community should be involved with planning (see ‘Who Should Be Involved?’ section, below);
- Start to think about your community’s goals and priorities for its forestland. Learn more about goal planning with our helpful landowner guide; and
- Complete our short, FCRP Sign-Up form.
From there, FCRP staff members will set up a meeting to discuss your goals for your municipal forestland, identify next steps, and discuss potential funding sources. Not ready to sign up yet? You can still connect with us with general questions or to learn more.
Who Should be Involved?
Every community works a bit differently, but generally speaking, casting a wider net is better. You might consider hosting a Climate Smart Forestry informational session that the FCRP can help organize. Having an interdepartmental audience can help set your project off in a good direction to determine local needs and provide an opportunity for public input on them.
When deciding who in your community should be involved, consider getting buy-in from:
- Select Board members;
- Trails and or Open Space Committees;
- Parks and Recreation Departments;
- Conservation Commission members;
- Facilities or operation staff;
- Staff or volunteers who were involved in preparing your community’s Municipal Vulnerability Plan;
- Recreational Users of your Municipal Forest Land; and
- Tribal partners (the FCRP can help you connect with local tribal partners).
What to Expect from a Climate-Smart Forestry Project
Forest stewardship projects can be thought of in four interconnected and overlapping phases: (1) planning, (2) outreach, (3) implementation, and (4) monitoring. The FCRP provides technical assistance, outreach and education, and funding assistance to communities through each of these phases. The program focuses on helping communities promote forest climate adaptation.
Planning
- Work with the FCRP to set goals and outline project steps.
- Get connected with a licensed forester that specializes in Climate Smart Forestry who can provide site-level assessment of specific climate vulnerabilities of your local forest.
- Receive a Forest Stewardship Climate Plan(s) for your municipal forestland assessing its overall health and making recommendations for its care and productivity into the future.
- Work with the FCRP to learn about opportunities to partner with First Nations Peoples (learn more about treaty rights).
Education and Outreach
- Engage with the FCRP to build internal support and understanding for the project.
- Host public meetings and woods walks to engage with the public.
- Identify a process for incorporating public feedback into the project.
- Engage in relationship building with Indigenous partners.
Project implementation
- Secure implementation funding through, or with, the support of the FCRP.
- Receive a Climate Smart Operational plan that details the specifics of the project.
- Implementation of recommended practices for the site, led by your forester.
- Consideration by the community to offer Indigenous partners access to land and culturally significant plants.
Monitoring
- Monitoring is conducted before, during, and after the project is implemented.
- Long-term monitoring can help to identify the need for follow-up.
- Ongoing maintenance of implemented practices (such as caring for planted trees) can be incorporated into a community’s monitoring work.
For more information on the program and its practices, see the Forest Climate Resilience Program factsheet.
Securing Funding
There are many funding sources that are available to support this work and the FCRP will help to match you with the appropriate source. New funding for this work continues to emerge, so it is best to reach out to understand what’s currently available. Some key programs to consider for your municipality include:
- Forest Stewardship Program Cost Share Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR): Plan for climate adaptation, implement climate smart forestry practices on municipal land.
- Community Forest Stewardship Grants Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR): Fund the implementation of management recommendations made in Forest Stewardship Climate Plans.
- Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs (EEA): Supports most action pathways – discuss with your local representative.
- Environmental Quality Incentives Program USDA (NRCS): Plan for climate adaptation, implement climate smart forestry practices on private land, increase tree cover.
- Greening the Gateway Cities Program Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR): Increase tree cover in urban areas and underserved communities.
For more funding and technical assistance program information, visit the Funding Opportunities and Technical Assistance pages
Find Out More
- Caring for Your Woods – A Starting Point: This guide helps landowners to get started with forest stewardship.
- Find a forester near you: Consult a directory of state-licensed foresters, professionals trained in caring for forest ecosystems and employing stewardship practices to grow trees and care for forests.
- Ohketeau Cultural Center: Lean more about local Indigenous peoples, tribal organizations, and opportunities for collaboration.
- No Loose Braids: Connect with Nipmuc Land Stewards.
- Healthy Forests for our Future: Read about climate smart forestry practices that promote adaptation and mitigation.
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Forest Stewardship Funding
No matter what goals you might have for your forest, there are a number of programs that can provide financial support and assistance.