As part of Land Trust Alliance’s 2020 Rally, which will be held virtually, Northeast Wilderness Trust will present in tandem with New England Forestry Foundation about the complementary strategies of wildlands and woodlands conservation. The long debate between leaving forests in a natural, undisturbed condition versus managing them to provide wood products is as relevant to land trusts as it is to landowners…particularly during a climate emergency.
Seemingly on opposite sides of the conservation spectrum, the executive directors from these two organizations will open a dialogue to weave together different perspectives and develop a common, expanded framework for forests as a natural climate solution. The two speakers will switch roles for the first half of the session, each speaking for the mission and goals of the other. The session starts by covering important conservation attributes that can be achieved or not achieved by implementing either wildland or forest management practices.
Two new conservation tools will be introduced:
- Northeast Wilderness Trust’s Wildlands Partnership, which assists in supporting and designating parcels as forever wild
- New England Forestry Foundation’s Pooled Timber Income Fund, which helps landowners and land trusts receive yearly income from Exemplary Forestry practices
Current scientific research will help identify the trade-offs from management or forever wild and place them in context of larger conservation goals and ecosystem services. Participants will leave with a new framework for analysis of their own lands and decision on how to treat them.