Chesapeake's Future Forests:

Crafting a Forest Restoration Strategy for the Bay Watershed

All Teams Webinar, Jan. 30, 2012 888-858-2144, Access 6802405

** Please mute your line when not speaking (*6)

Agenda for Today Strategy Overview/Update

Review Strategy Content Outline – input throughout

Introduction

Wildlife Habitat

Mine Lands

Agroforestry

Urban/Community

Brownfields

Conclusion/Summary (Integration)

Questions/Discussion

Wrap up/Next steps

Goal: Recover Habitat

“By 2012, USDA will work with Dept. of Interior and other entities to develop a Chesapeake Bay watershed strategy to maximize forest restoration in priority areas… ”

Priority areas = Urban, green infrastructure, wildlife habitat, mine lands, brownfields, agroforestry

Forest Restoration Strategy

Process Timeline

May 2011 - Webinar with 65 federal, state, local and ngo

participants to kick off Strategy development

June-Dec 2011 - Strategy Teams form and hold calls to

develop section content and outlines

Jan 2012 – All teams webinar –input on Strategy outline

Mar 2012 – Complete draft Strategy and distribute for input

May 2012 – Complete final Strategy

Strategy Teams – Thank you!

GIS/Green Infrastructure

(Tim Culbreth, MD DNR; Bill Jenkins & Matt Nicholson, EPA)

Wildlife (Sandie Doran, USFWS)

Mine Lands (Scott Eggerud, OSMRE)

Agroforestry (Tom Ward, NRCS)

Brownfields (Bruce Pluta, EPA)

Urban/Community

General Outline of Strategy Sections

Aim for 3-5 page concise summary that covers:

Why is this a priority for forest restoration?

Where are these areas on the landscape?

How – what programs and tools are available to help?

What actions are needed to promote forest restoration in

these areas? (will help guide Forestry Workgroup and partner

priorities)

Strategy –

Introduction Section

Value of forests for the Bay -

air, water, habitat, etc

Loss of forest cover - need to

conserve AND restore

Past progress – riparian buffer

restoration and urban tree

canopy programs; expand on

these efforts through Strategy

Strategy - Introduction Section…con’t

TARGETING : Green Infrastructure basis– where’s the

restoration need greatest? Overlapping geographic priorities and

opportunities/partnerships watershed-wide

E.g., target restoration on conserved lands wherever possible

Outline/overview of strategy sections

Respond to new drivers and opportunities (TMDL, EO

goals)

New ideas/considerations on getting more trees in the right

places**

Other thoughts…?

** Refer readers to Appendix resources on challenges and best practices in establishing trees –

e.g., deer browse, compaction, invasives, etc.)

Strategy - Introduction Section

Partnership Strategy – not agency-specific; start with our organizations and appeal to the broader network of groups that can implement forest restoration

Set stage for integration of priority planting areas, and multiple benefits of restoration to environment/society

Name Organization

* Sandie Doran USFWS NY – ** Team Leader

Anne Hairston-Strang MD DNR Forest Service

Jennifer Greiner USFWS Chesapeake Bay

Kevin Anderson Trout Unlimited

Mike Slattey USFWS Chesapeake Bay

Nat Gillespie USFS Fisheries/Brook trout

Mark Hudy USFS Fisheries/Brook trout

Michael Schwartz Conservation Fund

Rich Mason USFWS MD, DE

Rick McCorkle USFWS Delaware Bay

David Norris VA Dept Game/Inland Fisheries

Douglas Gross PA Game Commission

Scott Bearer The Nature Conservancy, PA

Todd Fearer Appalachian Mtn Joint Venture

Andy Lowell USFWS NY

Noelle Rayman USFWS NY

Rebecca Moore NYSDEC

Name Organization

Bill Jenkins EPA R3 /Green Infrastructure

Christine Mazzarella EPA R3/Green Infrastructure

Jason Bulluck VA Natural Heritage

Joe Weber VA Natural Heritage

Karen Engel NYSDEC

Mark Biddle DE DNREC Watershed

Matt Nicholson EPA R3 /Green Infrastructure

Peter Claggett USGS Bay Program

Tim Culbreth MD DNR Forest Service

Wildlife Team

Green Infrastructure/ GIS Analysis

WILDLIFE HABITAT - WHY

Loss and fragmentation of forest habitat for host of species

Amount of forest cover important, but so is forest type, age,

and connectivity

Importance of large forest blocks (hubs) for interior

dependent species (eg cerulean warbler) and forested

corridors connecting patches

Forested riparian habitat is critical (target of 70% of

riparian areas in forest), especially for aquatic species like

brook trout

Noted Declines in Forest Songbirds Cerulean warbler Wood thrush

WILDLIFE HABITAT - WHERE

Target restoration to

expand network of forest

hubs and corridors

Priority on restoring

forest cover in riparian

corridors

VA, MD and DE have complete, prioritized Green

Infrastructure assessments; other states in process,

used EPA/Jim Wickham’s hub-corridor layer

WILDLIFE HABITAT - WHERE

Brook Trout

Severely reduced across

east; an important

indicator species

Executive Order

outcome to bring back

this species

Riparian forests greatly

improve habitat

Brook Trout Distribution: Catchments

An updated map has finer scale

analysis of important brook

trout habitat to restore (M.

Hudy USFS, coming soon)

Brook trout in 11 % of Catchments

WILDLIFE HABITAT - HOW

Cost-share programs – USDA CREP, EQIP, WHIP, WRP,

USFWS Partners program; state incentive programs

Need for more effective marketing and targeted landowner

outreach/technical assistance in priority areas

Importance of partnerships with Fish and Wildlife agencies,

NRCS, forestry, watershed organizations, etc.

Tools available: LandServer website, brook trout

assessment/partnerships, buffer targeting tools

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS: TBD

CASE STUDY - SIDEBAR

Trout Unlimited has formed partnerships in West Virginia for the restoration of Eastern brook trout

habitat with NRCS, USFWS, USFS, FSA, NFWF, and WV DNR and other non-profits like The Mountain Institute

and the Freshwater Institute.

Partnership has successfully targeted and approached landowners, and provided technical and financial

assistance needed to establish riparian forests and other conservation practices beneficial to brookies.

Successful Strategy:

Use brook trout to engage landowners, schools, etc

Use best science, local knowledge, planning tools

Use experienced staff, comprehensive planning and monitoring

Provide education, land conservation referrals…leads to more conservation work

Results:

13 miles of new riparian forest

600 acres of land protected

Mine Lands Team

Name Organization

Chris Yeakle DEP Mining

Dave Hamilton OSM Pennsylvania/ARRI

Derrick McDonald PA DEP Watersheds

Katy McCune American Chestnut Foundation (MD, WV, VA)

Kevin Quick WV DEP

Mark Carney MDE, Bureau of Mines

Sara Fern Fitzsimmons American Chestnut Foundation (PA)

Scott Eggerud OSM-ARRI

Tim Culbreth MD Forest Service

Tina Alban PA Bureau of Forestry

Todd Fearer Appalachian Mountain Joint Venture

Tracey Coulter PA Bureau of Forestry

MINE LANDS - WHY

Coal mine lands exist in high value Appalachian forest habitat, headwaters of Chesapeake Bay – great restoration potential for water quality, habitat

Post SMCRA reclamation has been predominantly grass, with high soil compaction and limited regeneration of trees

Opportunities for reforestation on different types of sites: Abandoned Mine Lands, historic permitted/post SMCRA, active mining sites

Economic/community benefits for impacted communities (green jobs)

Note: Not recommending reforestation of ALL mine lands – some provide important grassland habitat, or ag production

MINE LANDS

Overlaps with

priority Cerulean

Warbler, Golden-

winged Warbler

habitat

Some areas needed by

grassland birds

Counties with >1000 acres Non-forested Mine Lands * Draft data – please do not cite

State County

Count of

Mines

Acres of

Mines Forested Acres of Mines

Non-forested

Mine Land

% Non-forested

Mine Land

PA SCHUYLKILL 785 43413.05 6774.91 36638.14 84.39%

PA CLEARFIELD 2369 25680.42 12538.96 13141.46 51.17%

MD Garrett 127 9422.13 3346.85 6075.28 64.48%

WVA Grant 134 8532.7 4365.25 4167.45 48.84%

MD Allegany 108 7381.29 3239.01 4142.28 56.12%

PA CENTRE 379 6194.81 3048.13 3146.68 50.80%

WVA Jefferson 10 2315.85 434.42 1881.43 81.24%

PA LACKAWANNA 450 3233.47 1764.46 1469.01 45.43%

PA LUZERNE 590 3298.86 1920.2 1378.66 41.79%

PA ELK 154 2571.7 1349.95 1221.75 47.51%

PA CAMBRIA 275 2723.36 1619.31 1104.05 40.54%

PA DAUPHIN 27 2165.92 1104.72 1061.2 49.00%

WVA Mineral 41 2153.41 1145.39 1008.02 46.81%

MINE LANDS - HOW

Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative (ARRI) –

provides strong science, technical guidance, and partnership

strategies for reforesting mine lands

Possible Funding Sources –

Fed/state cost share (EQIP, WHIP, etc)

EPA Brownfields, 319 grants, Abandoned Mine Lands programs

Private – foundations, utility companies seeking carbon credits

Critical role of watershed/community groups to identify

reforestation sites, seek grants, and plant trees (e.g. OSM

Vista Appalachian Coal Country Teams)

CASE STUDY American Chestnut Foundation will establish 12 reforestation plantings of mixed hardwood/American chestnut forest on reclaimed mine lands Each planting will be ~30 acres and composed of high-value hardwoods including chestnuts at a density of 20/acre The plantings will include a fenced-in 1 acre planting of 15/16 blight resistant American chestnuts (Restoration Chestnuts) Will use ARRI guidance for locating, ripping, herbicide application as needed

Currently looking for EQIP-eligible sites because some of the funding comes from a CIG grant

MINE LANDS

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS

Host regional workshop on mine land reforestation for

agency staff and watershed groups

Conduct finer-scale GIS targeting in pilot counties to find

potential sites and target outreach to landowners

Assess state mining reclamation standards; identify

opportunities to encourage more reforestation on active

mine sites

Others…?

Agroforestry Team

Name Organization

Tom Ward (team lead) NRCS Eastern Training Center

Barbara McWhorter WV NRCS

Barry Isaacs NRCS PA

Brett Chedzoy Cornell University

Bruce Wight NRCS National Forester

Charlie Becker VA Dept. of Forestry

Dan Dostie NRCS PA

Dan Rider MD Forest Service

John Munsell Virginia Tech University

Katrina Krause US Forest Service (R&D)

Mike Jacobsen Penn State University

Roy Brubaker PA Bureau of Forestry

Tracey Coulter PA Bureau of Forestry

AGROFORESTRY - WHY?

Lots of agriculture in the Bay – strategic use of trees/forestry on

these lands has environmental benefit and economic returns too

Benefits of trees – water quality, habitat, mitigating air pollutants;

high credit towards TMDL/Watershed Implementation Plan - load

reduction rates

Executive Order Outcome for Brook Trout --riparian forest

restoration on ag lands are critical to species survival

Economic benefits of trees – diversified income, herd

health/productivity, new woody crops for food/fiber/biomass

AGROFORESTRY - WHAT IS IT?

**Integrative land use systems and practices in

which woody perennials are deliberately integrated

with crops and/or animals.

TYPES Riparian Forest Buffers

Windbreaks/Shelterbelts

Alley Cropping

Silvopasture

Forest Farming

AGROFORESTRY Riparian Forest Buffers –

Best for reducing N, P sediment loads from cropland and pasture – TMDL credit

Provide critical shading for aquatic habitat, incl brook trout

Good incentive payments available through CREP and other fed/state programs – link w fencing/watering systems to improve herd health

Targeting outreach /tech asst in nrcs priority watersheds

AGROFORESTRY Windbreaks

Trees, shrubs, grasses managed to shield from wind, snow, or, from outside (bad air, visuals)

Windbreaks capture airborne pollutants from farm

Eg ―Vegetative Environmental Buffers‖– used around poultry houses

Concentrations of Broiler Chickens

(Ag Census)

AGROFORESTRY

Silvopasture--

Bringing tree benefits onto

pasture land

Can reduce cost and

increase viability of grass-

based livestock

Steep slopes

Pasture

AGROFORESTRY

Alley Cropping ---interspersed rows of woody species with

more traditional, companion ag crop for shelter, reduced

need for nutrients, etc.

Forest Farming—cultivation of edible, floral, and craft crops

that grow underneath forest canopy. E.g., ginseng, golden

seal and other medicinals, native plant nursery for shade-

loving spp.

Catawba Sustainability Center POSSIBLE CASE STUDY

• 377 acres of an old dairy farm in the Catawba

Valley, VA: “showcase for university education and engagement with the local community - a place to practice, demonstrate, learn, and teach about sustainability issues”

• A part of this will be the new partnership between Catawba Sustainability Center and USDA National Agroforestry Center (focus: produce, florals, medicinals)

•Associations with: Va Tech, Catawba Valley Farmers Market and Locavore Directory

• A forest buffer was established in 2009

AGROFORESTRY Recommended Actions

A Bay branding campaign for

forest/wood/agroforestry products similar to the

Edible Chesapeake

Demonstrations of Agroforestry practices –find early

adopters with working farms/forests. Multi-state ag

and forestry technical service provider training

sessions on this and landscape planning

Train the trainer workshops targeting resource

professionals

Others…?

Team Member Organization Team Member Organization

Anne Cumming USFS Morgantown Jessica Strother Fairfax County, VA

Barbara White VA Dept. of Forestry Karen Cappiella Center for Watershed Protection

Chris Peiffer PA Bureau of Forestry Kyle Hoyd DE Forest Service

Don Outen Baltimore County Marcia Fox DE Forest Service

Ellen Roane PA Bureau of Forestry Marian Honeczy MD Forest Service

Frank Rodgers Cacapon Institute Monica Lear DC DOT Urban Forestry Administration

Gary Allen Center for Sustainable Communities Morgan Grove

USFS Research (Baltimore)

Herb Peddicord WV Div. of Forestry Rebecca Moore NY Div Lands and Forests

Hieu Truong Chesapeake Bay Trust Steve Saari DC Dept of Environment

Jen Bruhler DE Center for Horticulture Tanner Haid Cacapon Institute

Jim Woodworth Casey Trees Vincent Cotrone Penn State Extension

Urban/Community Team

URBAN AND COMMUNITY - WHY

Maximize tree benefits where people are concentrated

Reduce pollution and flooding from stormwater

Mitigate air quality problems and related public health concerns

Shade reduces urban heat island effect and energy costs

Improve aesthetics, recreation, property values, etc.

Trees are most cost-effective means to meet multiple

community goals and regulations (MS4, TMDL, etc)

Urban Tree Canopy Assessments

57 cities and 7 counties have

completed assessments

More in process

25 cities/counties have set draft

or final UTC % goals

Air Quality – Non-Attainment Areas, 8 Hour Ozone

WHERE

Urban Tree Canopy Status & Goals

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%Current

Goal

URBAN AND COMMUNITY - HOW

UTC assessment/goal setting/implementation process (can

be simple or complex)

Local measures to maintain/preserve existing canopy and to

expand canopy through well-designed tree planting programs

Tie to MS4/TMDL/Air SIP and local goals

Importance of local partnerships and volunteer groups to

plant and maintain trees

Tools/programs available to help: examples federal (iTree),

state programs (PA Treevitalize), ngo (CB Trust), refer to list

of program resources

•County offers tree planting on large lots in exchange for

landowner commitment

CASE STUDY - SIDEBAR

URBAN AND COMMUNITY

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS

Provide training and technical assistance to local govts to set

tree planting targets and track progress for TMDL/WIP

Develop and expand on state and ngo programs that support

community tree planting initiatives

Transfer successful turf-to-trees program models and lessons

learned to more communities in the Bay (w/ high turf grass)

Other actions for fed/state/local?

Brownfields Team

Name Organization

Bruce Pluta EPA R3 Biological Tech Asst Group

Chuck Nace EPA R2 Ecological Risk Assessor

Donna Murphy USFS (Morgantown)

Eddie Durant DOD/DON Chesapeake Bay Program

Jeff Barnett EPA R3 MD Brownfields Coordinator

Karen Engel NYSDEC – Green Infrastructure Coordinator

Kathy Patnode USFWS (PA Field Office)

Matt Nicholson EPA R3 Green Infrastructure

Phillip Rodbell US Forest Service (Newtown Square)

Rebecca Hanmer Forestry Workgroup Chair (EPA Retired)

Sherry Krest USFWS (Chesapeake Bay Field Office)

BROWNFIELDS - WHY

Range of contaminated sites that can benefit from trees -

Superfund, RCRA, Brownfields, etc.

Often in urban areas – air/stormwater/community goals

Often along waterways, riparian restoration potential

Tree planting should be tailored to unique site considerations

and concerns related to toxics

BROWNFIELDS

WHERE

Every site can benefit

from tree planting

whether small parcels

or large scale

Will provide summary

data on sites by county,

proximity to waterbody

to aid targeting

BROWNFIELDS - HOW

Programs – EPA reuse/revitalization, Greener Clean-up

Goals, Trustee NRD efforts

Make technical guidance and tools available to support

reforestation of contaminated sites

Connect to urban tree canopy initiatives and green

infrastructure priorities

Educate/partner with key groups

(EPA-state and fed, consuting community, Wildlife Habitat

Council, DOD, Society for Ecological Restoration

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS: TBD

Brownfields Case Study - TBD

Browns Battery Breaking Site

Conclusions/Summary

Still figuring this out…

Targeting overlapping priorities – COAST tool

Identify new and expanded sources of funding for restoration

Finding Overlapping Priorities:

USGS COAST Forest Mapper Tool

Questions/Discussion

What types of recommended actions will be most useful in the Strategy?

How can we engage the wider network of groups to learn about and participate in implementing the Strategy?

What level of ongoing coordination (calls, etc) is needed to further develop and implement actions?

Forest Restoration Strategy Next Steps

Feb –Mar

Last round of team calls

Team review input by email on draft Strategy text and graphics

Finish Draft Strategy by end of March – distribute for

review/comment

Finish Final Strategy in May