Governor's Commission for Protecting the Chesapeake Bay through Sustainable Forestry Maryland Forests Association Annual Meeting November 3 - 4, 2006 Turf Valley Resort & Conference Center Ellicott City, Maryland Governor's Commission for Protecting the Chesapeake Bay through Sustainable Forestry

Mission In 2004 the Governor created, via executive order , the Governor's Commission for Protecting the Chesapeake Bay through Sustainable Forestry. The purpose of the commission was to meet the goals of the Chesapeake 2000 Agreement by recommending creative ways and means to financially underwrite Marylands landscape goals for the 21st Century by developing forest landscape policy goals that measurably result in the expansion and connection of contiguous forests in the Bay watershed.

Governor's Commission for Protecting the Chesapeake Bay through Sustainable Forestry Members The Honorable John Astle –Senator The Honorable Karen S. Montgomery –House of Delegates Russell Brinsfield –The Center for Agro- Ecology Nathaniel Williams –The Nature Conservancy Anthony DiPaolo –Worcester County Forestry Board Philip Gottwals –Agriculture & Community Development Services John Foster –Maryland Forests Association Elizabeth Hill –Dorchester Lumber David Opel –D&D Logging Midgett Parker –Chesapeake Bay Trust Linda Eisenberg –Department of Planning Steven W. Koehn –MD DNR Forest Service David Sutherland, Chair –United States Land Alliance Governor's Commission for Protecting the Chesapeake Bay through Sustainable Forestry

Primary Threats to Sustainable Forestry in Maryland

Governor's Commission for Protecting the Chesapeake Bay through Sustainable Forestry Primary Threats to Sustainable Forestry in Maryland Development of forests due to uninformed local land use decisions Lack of public education and awareness Loss of Forest Health Lack of Comparable Public Financial Incentives

Governor's Commission for Protecting the Chesapeake Bay through Sustainable Forestry Primary Threats to Sustainable Forestry in Maryland Burdensome state and local forestry regulations Loss of forest industry Virtually no conservation easement protection under the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF)

Governor's Commission for Protecting the Chesapeake Bay through Sustainable Forestry Primary Threats to Sustainable Forestry in Maryland Lack of sufficient forestry resources & staffing to manage public forests, deliver technical assistance to private forest landowners and fight wildfires. Management for short-term returns rather than long-term investing Uncontrolled and unsustainable recreation Lack of adequate streamside forest restoration

Governor's Commission for Protecting the Chesapeake Bay through Sustainable Forestry Implications Facing Marylands Forest Community Generational change of ownership A declining forest products industry Inadequate representation of Marylands forest community within State, federal, or local non-profit policy forums

Governor's Commission for Protecting the Chesapeake Bay through Sustainable Forestry Public Interest in Sustainable Forestry in Maryland Assure a clean and healthy environment for Marylands urban and rural citizens Provide economic opportunities and stability for rural, natural resource based communities Protect quality habitat for Marylands plants and animals

Governor's Commission for Protecting the Chesapeake Bay through Sustainable Forestry Public Interest in Sustainable Forestry in Maryland Maintain access to open space and appropriate outdoor recreation Enhance state natural security by protecting life and property from wildfire Embrace bioenergy opportunities to become more energy self-sufficient Preserve Marylands cultural and traditional heritage Assume the role as a national leader in natural resource/environmental sustainability

Governor's Commission for Protecting the Chesapeake Bay through Sustainable Forestry State Governments Role in Ensuring Sustainable Forestry Advance a bioenergy policy for the 21st Century which capitalizes on Marylands abundance of biomass fuels derived from forestry residues Ensure new federal Farm Bill is more inclusive of funding and like-opportunities for forestry as well as agriculture Provide technical and financial assistance to assist private forest landowners and communities in keeping their forest ecosystems healthy and intact Promote public policy that ensures healthy forests

Governor's Commission for Protecting the Chesapeake Bay through Sustainable Forestry State Governments Role in Ensuring Sustainable Forestry Dedicate staffing and funding necessary to provide leadership in non-biased technical and educational programs Network with Interagency groups to ensure that forests are managed and sustained Demonstrate proper forest stewardship on public land for multiple-use consistent with the Governors March 29, 2004 Executive Order- Enhanced Forestry Management on the Department of Natural Resources- Owned Forest Lands

Governor's Commission for Protecting the Chesapeake Bay through Sustainable Forestry Recommended Strategies and Actions to Address Forest Threats Encourage Landowners to Keep Forests in Forests oFinancial and Technical Assistance for Landowners oAdvance legislation to expand upon the financial incentives available oEncourage MALPF to provide parity between agriculture and forestry oIntroduce legislation to eliminate the $200,000 funding cap on the Woodland Incentive Program oRequest performance and/or fiscal compliance audit to review how the Agricultural Land Transfer Tax is assessed and allocated oReward landowners for sustainable forest management

Governor's Commission for Protecting the Chesapeake Bay through Sustainable Forestry Recommended Strategies and Actions to Address Forest Threats Increase Public Awareness through Education of Forest Values/Threats to Sustainability oCreate and fund partnerships between Departments Business and Economic Development, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, Department of Environment, and private non-profits oEnsure the designation of Forestry as a Growth Industry oBetter education on impacts of invasive and exotic species oIncrease FireWise and community planning for wildfire fuel reduction projects and support of state and local volunteer preparedness

Governor's Commission for Protecting the Chesapeake Bay through Sustainable Forestry Recommended Strategies and Actions to Address Forest Threats Strengthen Forest Industry at All Levels oIncrease funding for Maryland Agriculture and Resource Based Industry (MARBIDCO) oPromote development of new markets and the retention of existing markets for both traditional goods and environmental services oCreate equity of forestry and agriculture practices within state and local regulations

Governor's Commission for Protecting the Chesapeake Bay through Sustainable Forestry Recommended Strategies and Actions to Address Forest Threats Increased Emphasis on and Funding for Forest Health o Establish a contingency fund for forest health purposes (e.g. insects, disease, fire and wind, etc.), funded by proceeds derived from the conversion of forest lands via the imposition of the agricultural transfer tax and/or revenues derived from enhanced management on DNR-owned lands.

Governor's Commission for Protecting the Chesapeake Bay through Sustainable Forestry Recommended Strategies and Actions to Address Forest Threats Coordination of Forest Management at a Landscape Scale/Across Ownerships oStrengthen forestry representation on public boards and policy forums oAssess existing programs whose focus and mission relates to land use oTake a Lead by Example position with the Chesapeake Bay Executive Council oSupport private ownership and sustainable management of forests using public polices oChange Long-term attitudes towards development oTraining/Education for planners

Governor's Commission for Protecting the Chesapeake Bay through Sustainable Forestry Recommended Strategies and Actions to Address Forest Threats Improved Forest Inventory and Monitoring oSupport and enhance forest resource inventories oFIA oCFI oSupport the new Sustainable Forestry Assessment of Needs strategy that delineates the best of Marylands forestlands worthy of conservation

Governor's Commission for Protecting the Chesapeake Bay through Sustainable Forestry Recommended Strategies and Actions to Address Forest Threats Potential Funding Mechanisms oRe-direct State-side Program Open Space funding to the Maryland Park Service to relieve dependence on State Forest timber sale revenues oFrees up revenue stream for use by Maryland Forest Service

Governor's Commission for Protecting the Chesapeake Bay through Sustainable Forestry Draft Proposed Forest Legacy Areas Total Area: 4,650 sq miles = 48% land area Northeastern Liberty-Patuxent Lower Monocacy- Potomac Complex Catoctin- South Mountain Western Southern Black Bird Creek- Upper Tuckahoe Southeastern

Governor's Commission for Protecting the Chesapeake Bay through Sustainable Forestry Maryland Strategic Forest Resource Plan 2006

Governor's Commission for Protecting the Chesapeake Bay through Sustainable Forestry