Progress 10/01/07 to 09/30/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Extension foresters provided technical assistance to 6453 landowners, influencing more than 376,000 acres. With our partners,we provided hundreds of educational opportunities to landowners and natural resource professionals.Over 800 professional development workshops were offered to foresters and loggers to help them maintain their licensing or certification and gain new knowledge and skills.Approximately 80% of New Hampshire licensed foresters attend these workshops annually. Nearly 400 loggers obtain or maintain certification by attending the Professional Logger Program workshops each year. Twenty-one towns and 25,600 residents received information that hemlock woolly adelgid was found in their area. The Asian longhorned beetle is found within 40 miles of New Hampshire,but isn't yet known to be in the state. With the N.H. Division of Forests and Lands,UNHCE established a citizen monitoring program to monitor for ALB. We tested a method for looking for ALB in swimming pools. In 2010, we visited over 30 public pools in a 6-week period and learned that longhorned beetles are attracted to and trapped in pools. In 2011, we recruited 15 private pool owners to take pictures of representative insects found in their pool skimmers and filters and upload them to a website: http://extension.unh.edu/fwt/ALBpool.htm. We received over 60 submissions in a 6-week period and an online picture gallery http://extension.unh.edu/ALB/albpool/gallery.cfm is available for participants and others. No Asian longhorned beetles were found.UNHCE staff worked to help people affected by the tornado of July 2008. A web page was set up almost immediately, accessed at www.nhwoods.org and updated several times a day. County Foresters went door-to-door, answering questions about debris cleanup. Specialists communicated with sawmills and loggers to find out how markets might be affected. Five meetings were organized to bring communities together in one place, disseminate information and answer questions. Over 213 people attended. 119 new Coverts volunteers received training on integrating wildlife habitat management into stewardship efforts. 177 new Natural Resource Stewards volunteers were trained. A new program, Speaking for Wildlife, a speaker's bureau staffed by volunteers, enables volunteers to deliver presentations and walks in their communities with the support of UNHCE staff. Landowners and communities received assistance on permanent land protection through a variety of methods including the Taking Action for Wildlife Program, developed to support the NH Wildlife Action plan. UNHCE staff assisted 36 towns and one conservation group with natural resources inventories, wetland evaluation, water resources protection, conservation planning and land protection- all are an important prelude to conservation planning. A Land and Water Conservation Educator provides one-on-one technical assistance and education through workshops and other group forums on natural resource inventories, estate planning and permanent land protection to landowners and community members. PARTICIPANTS: UNH Cooperative Extension has 3 program specialists (forestry, forest industry, wildlife), 10 County Extension Educators in Forest Resources, a Natural Resource Stewards Coordinator, a Coverts Program Coordinator, a Land and Water Conservation Educator and 2 program assistants. Our focus is on partnerships and collaboration. We partner closely with the NH Division of Forests and Lands, the NH Department of Fish and Game, the US Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service to provide education, technical assistance and service to landowners and communities. We also partner with the many conservation organizations in the state such as the Society for the Protection of NH Forests (SPNHF), the Nature Conservancy, New Hampshire Audubon, the Harris Center, Monadnock Conservancy, Beaver Brook Association, Weeks State Park Association, and town conservation commissions, to name a few. We partner with professional organizations most notably the NH Timberland Owners Association (NHTOA), The Timber Harvesting Council, and the Granite State Division of the Society of American Foresters (GSD/SAF). We also partner with the UNH Department of Natural Resources and the Environment and the Thompson School of Applied Science (TSAS). Our diversity of partnerships allows us to reach more landowners and natural resource professionals with a consistent message, valuable education and important training opportunities. Enhanced relationships with some of our partners allow us to deliver these notable programs: The Certified Professional Logger Program with NHTOA, UNH TSAS. This is a voluntary program requiring continuing education; The NH Tree Farm Program cosponsored with SPNHF, NHTOA and GSD/SAF; EQIP, WHIP, WRP, CSP and TSP technical assistance via our agreement with NRCS. TARGET AUDIENCES: Forest Landowners Licensed Foresters Certified Professional Loggers Conservation Volunteers including Coverts Volunteers and Natural Resource Stewards and Conservation Commissioners and other town volunteers PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: We did not modify the project during 2007-2011.
Impacts
As a result of individual contacts and workshop-based activity, Extension foresters referred 2003 landowners owning over 162,000 acres to licensed foresters who wrote 388 forest stewardship plans on over 76,000 acres.Plan development by foresters represents approximately $1,379,935 of direct economic activity as well as improved management and timber harvesting. Over 27% of New Hampshire's private forest land is managed according to an integrated forest stewardship plan. Educational opportunities for natural resource professionals continue to be an important part of our programming. Attendance at these workshops continues to grow,doubling between 2007 and 2011.Use of new media, such as Twitter and Facebook has allowed us to deliver messages to a larger indirect audience. We have increased exposure to this audience 56% during the grant period. Improved timber harvesting emphasizing the use of best management practices (BMPs)and minimizing negative impacts on water quality has been a focus of UNHCE programming with many audiences. An Extension evaluation of BMP effectiveness demonstrated that in New Hampshire, BMPs are being used effectively during timber harvesting resulting in soil stability 77% of the time at crossing structures; 80% at approaches outside a 50' buffer and 76% at approaches inside the buffer. Extension staff raised awareness of forest health threats through direct mail, workshops and site visits. With the N.H. Division of Forests and Lands, UNHCE established a citizen monitoring program to monitor for Asian longhorned beetle (ALB). We tested a method for looking for ALB in swimming pools, and developed the website http://extension.unh.edu/fwt/ALBpool.htm. In 2011, we received over 60 submissions in a 6-week period and an online picture gallery http://extension.unh.edu/ALB/albpool/gallery.cfm is available for participants and others. No Asian longhorn beetles were found. Over 629 Coverts and Natural Resource Stewards are actively involved in conservation in their communities. Volunteers contributed over 110,000 hours, working to minimize the effect of fragmentation and sprawl through open space initiatives, participating in local land trusts and town boards. Towns with these active conservation volunteers are three times more likely to have passed conservation funding measures than those towns lacking these volunteers. The Speaking for Wildlife program speakers' bureau offered more than 40 wildlife presentation and woods walks in their communities, helping us increase our capacity to deliver important messages to a larger audience. Our volunteers actively manage over 100,000 acres and reached out thousands of people every year with a message of sound forest stewardship and wildlife conservation. Direct assistance to communities, workshops and courses about the New Hampshire Wildlife Action Plan involved total participation of more than 6900 participants. An estimated 78,000 acres of forest and field have been permanently protected between 2007 and 2011 with assistance from UNHCE staff and volunteers.
Publications
- Bennett, Karen P. editor. 2010. Good Forestry in the Granite State: Recommended Voluntary Forest Management Practices for New Hampshire (second edition). University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, Durham, N.H. www.goodforestry.org An on-line version is available free at www.goodforestry.org . A copy of the book can be ordered on-line at that website. Directions for ordering through the mail are there as well, or you can call 800-444-8978. Cost is $25.00.
- Clyde, Malin Ely, Habitat Stewardship Series, rev. 2010. University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, Durham, N.H. http://extension.unh.edu/FWT/HabBrochures.htm
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Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Sustaining Forests: Extension foresters provided technical assistance to 1709 landowners, influencing an estimated 45,200 acres. 214 workshops were offered to this landowner audience with more than 6540 people attending. 144 professional development workshops were offered to foresters and loggers to help them maintain their licensing or certification and gain new knowledge and skills. Approximately 80% of the 283 New Hampshire licensed foresters attended these workshops. Nearly 400 loggers obtained or maintained their certification by attending the Professional Logger Program workshops. A revision to Good Forestry in the Granite State, a keystone document for landowners and the natural resource professionals who work with them, was completed in 2011. Responding to Forest Health Threats: Over 6,000 residents in five towns were notified through direct mail that hemlock woolly adelgid was found in their town. Extension organized 31 workshops, exhibits, and press coverage statewide to inform the public about the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) threat. The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) is a serious threat to our forests and trees. ALB is found within 40 miles of New Hampshire, but isn't yet known to be in the state. Along with the N.H. Division of Forests and Lands, UNH Cooperative Extension established a citizen monitoring program to monitor for ALB. Since there isn't a reliable trap for ALB, we tested a method for looking for ALB in swimming pools.In 2011, we recruited 15 private pool owners to take pictures of representative insects found in their pool skimmers and filters and upload them to a website: http://extension.unh.edu/fwt/ALBpool.htm . We received over 60 submissions in a 6-week period and an online picture gallery http://extension.unh.edu/ALB/albpool/gallery.cfm is available for participants and others. No Asian longhorned beetles were found. Volunteers Extending Our Reach: 24 new Coverts volunteers received training on integrating wildlife habitat management into other stewardship efforts. 25 new Natural Resource Stewards volunteers were trained. Speaking for Wildlife, a speakers bureau staffed by volunteers, delivered over 40 wildlife presentations and walks in their communities with the support of Cooperative Extension staff. Better Planning Using Natural Resources Protection through the Wildlife Action Plan: Landowners and communities received assistance on permanent land protection through a variety of methods including the Taking Action for Wildlife Program. Extension staff assisted nineteen towns and one conservation group with natural resources inventories, wetland evaluation, water resources protection, conservation planning and land protection, and participated in 13 regional meetings. Direct assistance to communities, workshops and courses involved total participation of more than 1100 participants. A Land and Water Conservation Educator provides one-on-one technical assistance and education through workshops and other group forums on natural resource inventories, estate planning and permanent land protection to landowners and community members. PARTICIPANTS: UNH Cooperative Extension has 3 program specialists (forestry, forest industry, wildlife), 10 County Extension Educators in Forest Resources, a Natural Resource Stewards Coordinator, a Coverts Program Coordinator, a Land and Water Conservation Educator and 2 program assistants. We partner closely with the NH Division of Forests and Lands, the NH Department of Fish and Game, the US Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service to provide education, technical assistance and service to landowners and communities. We also partner with the many conservation organizations in the state such as the Society for the Protection of NH Forests, the Nature Conservancy, New Hampshire Audubon, the Harris Center, Monadnock Conservancy, Beaver Brook Association, Weeks State Park Association, and town conservation commissions, to name a few. We partner with professional organizations most notably the NH Timberland Owners Association, The Timber Harvesting Council, and the Granite State Division of the Society of American Foresters. We also partner with the UNH Department of Natural Resources and the Environment and the Thompson School of Applied Science. TARGET AUDIENCES: Forest Landowners, Licensed Foresters, Certified Professional Loggers, Conservation Volunteers including Coverts Volunteers and Natural Resource Stewards and Conservation Commissioners and other town volunteers PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Sustaining Forests: As a result of individual contacts and workshop-based activity, Extension foresters referred 319 landowners owning 22,408 acres to licensed foresters who wrote forest stewardship plans on over 13,270 acres. Plan development by foresters represents approximately $265,580 of direct economic activity as well as improved management and timber harvesting. Over 27% of New Hampshire's private forest land is managed according to an integrated forest stewardship plan. Responding to Forest Health Threats: Extension staff raised awareness of forest health threats through direct mail, workshops and site visits. Along with the N.H. Division of Forests and Lands, UNH Cooperative Extension established a citizen monitoring program to monitor for Asian longhorned beetle (ALB). Since there isn't a reliable trap for ALB, we tested a method for looking for ALB in swimming pools. In 2010, we visited over 30 public pools in a 6-week period and learned that longhorned beetles (and many other insects) are attracted to and trapped in pools. In 2011, we recruited 15 private pool owners to take pictures of representative insects found in their pool skimmers and filters and upload them to a website: http://extension.unh.edu/fwt/ALBpool.htm . We received over 60 submissions in a 6-week period and an online picture gallery http://extension.unh.edu/ALB/albpool/gallery.cfm is available for participants and others. No Asian longhorn beetles were found. Volunteers Extending Our Reach: Over 629 Coverts and Natural Resource Stewards are actively involved in conservation in their communities. Volunteers contributed over 44,320 hours, working to minimize the effect of fragmentation and sprawl through open space initiatives, participating in local land trusts and town boards. Towns with these active conservation volunteers are three times more likely to have passed conservation funding measures than those towns lacking these volunteers. They actively manage over 100,000 acres and reached out to over 36,000 people with a message of sound forest stewardship and wildlife conservation. Better Planning for Natural Resources Protection Using the Wildlife Action Plan: Nine communities used information from New Hampshire's Wildlife Action Plan in natural resource inventories and conservation plans. Five communities took action by holding public events on town lands, contacting landowners, implementing conservation planning from natural resource inventories and beginning forest management plans. An estimated 33,690 acres of forest and field have been permanently protected with from UNH Cooperative Extension during this fiscal year.
Publications
- Bennett, Karen P. editor. 2010. Good Forestry in the Granite State: Recommended Voluntary Forest Management Practices for New Hampshire (second edition). University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, Durham, N.H. 224 p. An on-line version is available free at www.goodforestry.org . A copy of the book can be ordered on-line at that website. Directions for ordering through the mail are there as well, or you can call 800-444-8978. Cost is $25.00.
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Progress 10/01/09 to 09/30/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Sustaining Forests: Through one-on-one woodlot visits, Extension foresters provided technical assistance to over 942 landowners, influencing over 81,298 acres. 388 workshops were offered to this landowner audience with more than 9300 people attending. Professional development workshops are offered to foresters and loggers to help them maintain their licensing or certification and gain new knowledge and skills. 254 workshops were offered. 78% of the 269 New Hampshire licensed foresters attended these workshops. Nearly 400 loggers maintained their certification by attending the Professional Logger Program workshops. Responding to Forest Health Threats: Over 12,000 residents in nine towns were notified that hemlock woolly adelgid was found in their town. Extension organized 36 workshops, exhibits, and press coverage in 17 towns to inform the public about the Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) threat. Additionally, Extension staff worked with 33 public swimming pools in 26 towns to develop a citizen monitoring program for ALB. None was found. The two most significant discoveries were brown marmorated stinkbugs and European fire ants. Before the pool survey, neither of these pests was known to be living in the counties where we found them. Volunteers Extending Our Reach: 23 new Coverts volunteers received training on integrating wildlife habitat management into other stewardship efforts. 30 new Natural Resource Stewards volunteers (formerly Community Tree Stewards) were trained. The Speaking for Wildlife program trained 11 Coverts volunteers to deliver wildlife presentations and lead walks in their communities with the support of Cooperative Extension staff. Better Planning Using Natural Resources Protection through the Wildlife Action Plan: Landowners and communities received assistance on permanent land protection through a variety of methods including the Taking Action for Wildlife Program. Extension staff assisted 15 towns and two conservation groups with natural resources inventories, wetland evaluation, water resources protection, conservation planning and land protection, and participated in 12 regional meetings. Direct assistance to communities, workshops and courses involved total participation of more than 1300 participants. A Land and Water Conservation Educator provides one-on-one technical assistance and education through workshops and other group forums on natural resource inventories, estate planning and permanent land protection to landowners and community members. PARTICIPANTS: UNH Cooperative Extension has 3 program specialists (forestry, forest industry, wildlife), 10 County Extension Educators in Forest Resources, a Natural Resource Stewards Coordinator, a Coverts Program Coordinator, a Land and Water Conservation Educator and 2 program assistants. We partner closely with the NH Division of Forests and Lands, the NH Department of Fish and Game, the US Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service to provide education, technical assistance and service to landowners and communities. We also partner with the many conservation organizations in the state such as the Society for the Protection of NH Forests, the Nature Conservancy, New Hampshire Audubon, the Harris Center, Monadnock Conservancy, Beaver Brook Association, Weeks State Park Association, and town conservation commissions, to name a few. We partner with professional organizations most notably the NH Timber Land Owners Association, The Timber Harvesting Council, and the Granite State Division of the Society of American Foresters. We also partner with the UNH Department of Natural Resources and the Environment and the Thompson School of Applied Science. TARGET AUDIENCES: Forest Landowners Licensed Foresters Certified Professional Loggers Conservation Volunteers including Coverts Volunteers and Natural Resource Stewards and Conservation Commissioners and other town volunteers PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Sustaining Forests: As a result of individual contacts and workshop-based activity, Extension foresters referred 406 landowners owning 33,026 acres to licensed foresters who wrote forest stewardship plans on over 15,210 acres. This represents $304,200 of direct economic activity as well as improved management and timber harvesting. Over 26% of New Hampshire's private forest land is managed according to an integrated forest stewardship plan.Responding to Forest Health Threats: Extension staff raised awareness of forest health threats through direct mail, workshops and site visits. Additionally, Extension staff played a key role in developing a citizen monitoring program in collaboration with the New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands. Volunteers Extending Our Reach: Over 550 Coverts and Natural Resource Stewards are actively involved in conservation in their communities. Volunteers contributed over 18,000 hours, working to minimize the effect of fragmentation and sprawl through open space initiatives, participating in local land trusts and town boards. Towns with these active conservation volunteers are three times more likely to have passed conservation funding measures than those towns lacking these volunteers. They actively manage over 110,000 acres and reached out to over 35,000 people with a message of sound forest stewardship and wildlife conservation.Better Planning for Natural Resources Protection Using the Wildlife Action Plan: Six communities used information from New Hampshire's Wildlife Action Plan in natural resource inventories and conservation plans. Two towns are collaborating on land conservation projects along town boundaries. Over 10,500 acres of forest and field have been permanently protected as a result of assistance provided by the UNH Cooperative Extension during this fiscal year.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/08 to 09/30/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Sustaining Forests: Through one-on-one woodlot visits, Extension foresters provided technical assistance to over 1329 landowners, influencing over 76,578 acres. 326 workshops were offered to this landowner audience with more than 9000 people attending. Professional development workshops are offered to foresters and loggers to help them maintain their licensing or certification and gain new knowledge and skills. 172 workshops were offered. 75% of the 267 New Hampshire licensed foresters attended these workshops. Nearly 400 loggers maintained their certification by attending the Professional Logger Program workshops. Responding to Forest Health Threats: Over 7600 residents in seven towns were notified that hemlock woolly adelgid was found in their town. Extension held 12 workshops and exhibits in 10 towns to inform the public about the Asian Longhorned Beetle threat. In response to the ice storm of December 2008, Extension held 10 workshops in eight towns, mostly in southern New Hampshire where storm damage was most severe. 224 people attended. Volunteers Extending Our Reach: 23 new Coverts Volunteers received training on integrating wildlife habitat management into other stewardship efforts. 37 new Community Tree Steward Volunteers were trained. Minimizing Fragmentation and Sprawl through Community Conservation Planning and Permanent Land Protection: Landowners and communities received assistance on permanent land protection through a variety of methods including a program entitled, the Community Conservation Assistance Program (CCAP). CCAP assists New Hampshire communities and conservation groups with land and water conservation planning projects, such as natural resources inventories, conservation planning, land protection, public outreach, and building public support. Extension staff assisted 35 towns and four conservation groups with natural resources inventories, wetland evaluation, water resources protection, conservation planning and land protection, and participated in 13 regional meetings. Direct assistance to communities, workshops and courses involved total participation of 1342 participants. A Land and Water Conservation Educator provides one-on-one technical assistance and education through workshops and other group forums on natural resource inventories, estate planning and permanent land protection to landowners and community members. PARTICIPANTS: UNH Cooperative Extension has 3 program specialists (forestry, forest industry, wildlife), 10 County Extension Educators in Forest Resources, a Community Tree Steward Coordinator, a Coverts Program Coordinator, a Land and Water Conservation Educator and 2 program assistants. We partner closely with the NH Division of Forests and Lands, the NH Department of Fish and Game, the US Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service to provide education, technical assistance and service to landowners and communities. We also partner with the many conservation organizations in the state such as the Society for the Protection of NH Forests, the Nature Conservancy, Audubon Society of NH, the Harris Center, Monadnock Conservancy, Beaver Brook Association, Weeks State Park Association, and town conservation commissions, to name a few. We partner with professional organizations most notably the NH Timber Land Owners Association, The Timber Harvesting Council, and the Granite State Division of the Society of American Foresters. We also partner with the UNH Department of Natural Resources and the Environment and the Thompson School of Applied Science. TARGET AUDIENCES: Forest Landowners Licensed Foresters Certified Professional Loggers Conservation Volunteers including Coverts Volunteers and Community Tree Stewards and Conservation Commissioners and other town volunteers PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Sustaining Forests: As a result of individual contacts and workshop-based activity, Extension foresters referred 429 landowners owning 36,649 acres to licensed foresters who wrote forest stewardship plans on over 12,200 acres. This represents $245,180 of direct economic activity as well as improved management and timber harvesting. Over 26% of New Hampshire's private forest land is managed according to an integrated forest stewardship plan. Responding to Forest Health Threats: Extension staff raised awareness of forest health threats through direct mail, workshops and site visits. Volunteers Extending Our Reach: 565 Coverts and Community Tree Stewards are actively involved in conservation in their communities. Volunteers contributed over 23,000 hours, working to minimize the effect of fragmentation and sprawl through open space initiatives, participating in local land trusts and town boards. Towns with these active conservation volunteers are three times more likely to have passed conservation funding measures than those towns lacking these volunteers. They actively manage over 105,000 acres and reached out to over 50,000 people with a message of sound forest stewardship and wildlife conservation. Minimizing Fragmentation and Sprawl through Community Conservation Planning and Permanent Land Protection: 2 communities completed natural resource inventories, wetland evaluations as a prelude to conservation planning and identifying important lands to permanently protect. Over 19,679 acres of forest and field have been permanently protected as a result of assistance provided by the UNH Cooperative Extension during this fiscal year.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/07 to 09/30/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Sustaining Forests: Through one-on-one woodlot visits, Extension foresters provided technical assistance to over 1100 landowners, influencing over 122,249 acres. 297 workshops were offered to this landowner audience with nearly 8,000 people attending. Professional development workshops are offered to foresters and loggers to help them maintain their licensing or certification and gain new knowledge and skills. 168 workshops were offered. 75% of the 270 New Hampshire licensed foresters attended and 70% of the certified loggers. Volunteers Extending Our Reach: 26 new Coverts Volunteers received training on integrating wildlife habitat management into other stewardship efforts. 39 new Community Tree Steward Volunteers were trained. Minimizing Fragmentation and Sprawl through Community Conservation Planning and Permanent Land Protection: Landowners and communities receive assistance on permanent land protection through a variety of methods including a program entitled, the Community Conservation Assistance Program (CCAP). CCAP assists New Hampshire communities and conservation groups with land and water conservation planning projects, such as natural resources inventories, conservation planning, land protection, public outreach, and building public support. During the reporting period, Extension staff assisted 37 towns and seven conservation groups with natural resources inventories, wetland evaluation, water resources protection, conservation planning and land protection, and participated in 22 regional meetings. Direct assistance to communities, workshops and courses involved total participation of 1373 participants. A Land and Water Conservation Educator provides one-on-one technical assistance and education through workshops and other group forums on natural resource inventories, estate planning and permanent land protection to landowners and community members. PARTICIPANTS: UNH Cooperative Extension has 3 program specialists (forestry, forest industry, wildlife), 10 County Extension Educators in Forest Resources, a Community Tree Steward Coordinator, a Coverts Program Coordinator, a Land and Water Conservation Educator and 2 program assistants. We partner closely with the NH Division of Forests and Lands, the NH Department of Fish and Game, the US Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service to provide education, technical assistance and service to landowners and communities. We also partner with the many conservation organizations in the state such as the Society for the Protection of NH Forests, the Nature Conservancy, Audubon Society of NH, the Harris Center, Monadnock Conservancy, Beaver Brook Association, Weeks State Park Association, and town conservation commissions, to name a few. We partner with professional organizations most notably the NH Timber Land Owners Association, The Timber Harvesting Council, and the Granite State Division of the Society of American Foresters. We also partner with the UNH Department of Natural Resources and the Environment and and the Thompson School of Applied Science. TARGET AUDIENCES: Forest Landowners Licensed Foresters Certified Professional Loggers Conservation Volunteers including Coverts Volunteers and Community Tree Stewards and Conservation Commissioners and other town volunteers PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Sustaining Forests: As a result of the individual and workshop-based activity, Extension foresters referred over 440 landowners owning 36,000 acres to licensed foresters who wrote forest stewardship plans on over 8665 acres. This represents $129,975 of direct economic activity as well as improved management and timber harvesting. Over 25% of New Hampshire's private forest land is managed according to an integrated forest stewardship plan. New Hampshire licensed foresters attending Extension workshops manage an estimated 650,000 acres of private forest land resulting in improved practices. 80% of attendees reported that attendance had a positive influence on their land management practice. Volunteers Extending Our Reach: 505 Coverts and Community Tree Stewards are actively involved in conservation in their communities. Many are heavily involved in helping to minimize the effect of fragmentation and sprawl through open space initiatives. Towns with these active conservation volunteers are three times more likely to have passed conservation funding measures than those towns lacking these volunteers. Minimizing Fragmentation and Sprawl through Community Conservation Planning and Permanent Land Protection: 7 communities completed natural resource inventories, wetland evaluations as a prelude to conservation planning and identifying important lands to permanently protect. Over 8050 acres of forest and field have been permanently protected as a result of assistance provided by the UNH Cooperative Extension.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Sustaining Forests: Through one-on-one woodlot visits, Extension foresters provided technical assistance to over 1300 landowners, influencing over 51,000 acres. 177 workshops were offered to this landowner audience with nearly 6,000 people attending. Professional development workshops are offered to foresters and loggers to help them maintain their licensing or certification and gain new knowledge and skills. 151 workshops were offered. 70% of the 294 New Hampshire licensed foresters attended and 75% of the nearly 300 certified loggers. Volunteers Extending Our Reach: 23 new Coverts Volunteers received training on integrating wildlife habitat management into other stewardship efforts. 46 new Community Tree Steward Volunteers were trained. Minimizing Fragmentation and Sprawl through Community Conservation Planning and Permanent Land Protection: Landowners and communities receive assistance on permanent land protection through a variety of methods including a program entitled,
the Community Conservation Assistance Program (CCAP). CCAP assists New Hampshire communities and conservation groups with land and water conservation planning projects, such as natural resources inventories, conservation planning, land protection, public outreach, and building public support. During the reporting period, Extension staff assisted 30 towns and four conservation groups with natural resources inventories, wetland evaluation, water resources protection, conservation planning and land protection, and participated in 25 regional meetings. Direct assistance to communities, workshops and courses involved total participation of 1,807 participants. A Land and Water Conservation Educator provides one-on-one technical assistance and education through workshops and other group forums on natural resource inventories, estate planning and permanent land protection to landowners and community members.
PARTICIPANTS: UNH Cooperative Extension has 3 program specialists (forestry, forest industry, wildlife), 10 County Extension Educators in Forest Resources, a Community Tree Steward Coordinator, a Coverts Program Coordinator, a Land and Water Conservation Educator and 2 program assistants. We partner closely with the NH Division of Forests and Lands, the NH Department of Fish and Game, the US Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service to provide education, technical assistance and service to landowners and communities. We also partner with the many conservation organizations in the state such as the Society for the Protection of NH Forests, the Nature Conservancy, Audubon Society of NH, the Harris Center, Monadnock Conservancy, Beaver Brook Association, Weeks State Park Association, and town conservation commissions, to name a few. We partner with professional organizations most notably the NH Timber Land Owners Association, The Timber Harvesting Council, and the
Granite State Division of the Society of American Foresters. We also partner with the UNH Department of Natural Resources and the Environment and and the Thompson School of Applied Science.
TARGET AUDIENCES: Forest Landowners Licensed Foresters Certified Professional Loggers Conservation Volunteers including Coverts Volunteers and Community Tree Stewards and Conservation Commissioners and other town volunteers
Impacts
Sustaining Forests: As a result of the individual and workshop-based activity, Extension foresters referred over 400 landowners owning 35,000 acres to licensed foresters who wrote forest stewardship plans on over 29,000 acres. This represents $435,000 of direct economic activity as well as improved management and timber harvesting. Over 25% of New Hampshire's private forest land is managed according to an integrated forest stewardship plan. New Hampshire licensed foresters attending Extension workshops manage an estimated 650,000 acres of private forest land resulting in improved practices. 80% of attendees reported that attendance had a positive influence on their land management practice. Improved timber harvesting emphasizing the use of best management practices (BMPs) and minimizing negative impacts on water quality has been a focus of Extension programming with a variety of audiences. An Extension evaluation of BMP effectiveness demonstrated that in New Hampshire,
BMPs are being used effectively during timber harvesting resulting in soil stability 77% of the time at crossing structures; 80% at approaches outside 50' buffer and 76% at approaches inside the buffer. Volunteers Extending Our Reach: 440 Coverts and Community Tree Stewards are actively involved in conservation in their communities. Many are heavily involved in helping to minimize the effect of fragmentation and sprawl through open space initiatives. Towns with these active conservation volunteers are three times more likely to have passed conservation funding measures than those towns lacking these volunteers. Minimizing Fragmentation and Sprawl through Community Conservation Planning and Permanent Land Protection: 12 communities completed natural resource inventories as a prelude to conservation planning and identifying important lands to permanently protect. Over 6,000 acres of forest and field have been permanently protected as a result of assistance provided by the Extension Land
and Water Conservation Educator.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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