Vermont Forest Assessment for the 2010-2015 Forest Resources Plan Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation.

Vermont Forest Assessmentfor the 2010-2015

Forest Resources Plan

Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation

Purpose of Presentation

Show development of Vermont’s method of conducting three distinct forest assessments based on landscape characteristics

How and why to identify Urban, Rural and Transition lands

Landscape Characteristics and Values in Vermont

Forest covers 78% of state, 80%+ privately owned

Average parcel size county foresters help manage is 40 acres (relatively small)

Tendency to place higher value on much larger forest blocks 200-2500 acres+

Spatial Analyses of Other Programs

Previous assessments revealed limitations of using only Rural and Urban in Vermont

Forest Legacy Area valuing larger block sizes eliminated one biophysical region, despite those forests being highly threatened

Spatial Analyses of Other Programs

Landowners with 10-25 acres are not served by VT’s Use Value Appraisal Program, administered by county foresters

Looked at WUI analysis w/ its identification of ex-urban areas

Defining the Problem Resolving High Value of Large Forest Blocks with

High Threat of Smaller Blocks (not urban areas)

WUI Analysis offered a useful perspective

Determined that housing density could be a more useful tool for our use

Used housing density as surrogate for fragmentation

MethodologyInitial stratification of housing density using

E911 housing sites Display areas of housing in units per sq km (250

ac) Averages: 10 houses per average parcel size of

25 ac., 50 houses per average parcel size 5 ac. >128 houses correlates to <2 acres 50-128 houses correlates to 2-5 acres 9-49 houses correlates to 5-27 acres 0-8 houses correlates to >27 acres

MethodologyFinal stratification of housing density using

E911 housing sites for state assessments

>128 houses correlates to <2 acresUrban 9-128 houses correlates to 2-27 acres

Transition 0-8 houses correlates to >27 acres Rural

Move any agricultural lands (crop and pasture from NLCD) with 0-8 houses into Transition area

E-911 Housing Density Classes

Legend

Red = Urban

Yellow = Transition

Dk Grn = Rural

Shaded Yellow = Ag lands

Lt Grn = Conserved lands

Properties of Housing Density Classes

Rural Contains many conserved lands and Larger forest blocks

TransitionLands most threatened with developmentSimilar threats to water qualityImpacts to wildlife at road crossings, fragmentation

Adjusted Map

Transition Lands

1.5 km search radius conducted

Result3 distinct areas for assessment

Next StepsAfter thematic maps are developed, overlay them

for Rural, and then for Transition lands Forest Site Productivity Wildlife Habitat Water Quality Carbon Sequestration Forest Pests Development Risk Fire Risk Urban & Community Forestry--pop. density, growth

+CARS

Use Spatial Results and Key Issues to Help Create Strategies in the Context of C&I

Climate change-How will management decisions need to change within a changing world?

Global/Local economies--Can our forest products economy separate itself within a global market?

Sustainability--What is it and how can we convey to the public on the state of our forest resources.

Recreation--How do we balance the many demands on the land and landowners?

Forest health--The foundation of our forest system must be sustained.

Key Issues, continued

Keeping forests forested--The impacts of land use change, parcelization and forest fragmentation.

Biomass--Addressing issues concerning sustainability. Public land management--Identify proper role and capacity. Water quality--Forest role in influencing water quality in a

positive way. Wildlife--How do we sustain wildlife habitat? Taxation—Are there opportunities to make owning land more

viable? Exotic/Invasives--Problematic implications for the future.

Key Issues, continued Demographics--How do the graying and greening of

society affect forests? Certification--Role in Vermont. Organizational Capacity--How will we adapt to reduced

resources? Urbanization--Can we maintain forest functions in a built

environment? Environmental Advocacy--Are we training/teaching the

next generation to become forest stewards?

Vermont Plan Contacts Information

Linda Henzel [email protected] 802-241-3688Planning

Bill Moulton [email protected] 802-476-0171Planning

Danielle Fitzko [email protected] 802-241-3673U&CF State Coordinator

Barbara Burns [email protected] 802-885-8821Forest Resource Protection

Steve Sinclair [email protected] 802-241-3680State Forester