Performing Department
Ecology, Evolution & Natural Resources
Non Technical Summary
An estimated 2 million acres, or 40%, of the land base of New Jersey is forested, before accounting for urban forest canopy (New Jersey Forests 2013, NRS-109, 2017, NJ Forest Action Plan draft 2020). Slightly more than half of this resource is publicly owned, with state agencies managing over 600,000 acres. The remaining half (approximate) of the resource can be generalized as being in private management About 348,000 acres are considered family forested land, with 83% of those families owning 10-49 acres. Within that area, over 52500 acres are certified under the American Tree Farm System, and approximately 15500 acres are certified under the Forest Stewardship Council. The average age of these forest owners is estimated to be 60 years, with 44% over 65. Concurrently, the age of the stand is increasing, suggesting profound transitions in ownership, management and regeneration challenges of forest species, especially in an age of rapidly changing environmental pressures from climate and novel disease-pest pressures. With the changing environment, we expect massive population relocation from sea level rise that will impact the disposition of forested land holdings for water access and resettlement development. Coupled with this transition is the demographic of an aging forest management consultant pool within the state. In short, outreach and professional education will be crucial to establish in the coming years to meet with a confluence of knowledge, ownership and forest composition and land disposition turnover.Because of increasing developmental pressures, the increasing value of the state's forests for open space, water, wildlife, energy and quality of life as well as traditional forest products, and the increasing threat of invasive species, it is more important than ever that these private lands are actively and sustainably managed. In an urbanized state, there is also the clear need to couple forest stewardship planning with community tree resource management and greenspace set-asides within urban-suburban municipalities. New Jersey has long been a leading force in urban and community forestry which is not surprising given the geographic placement on the eastern seaboard megalopolis. Having formally joined the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, and with new policy efforts in prescribed burning in areas of the state, there is a need to provide accurate and technically sound supports to land managers and owners when making forest management decisions. Our focus is to meet some practical outreach support needs while positioning and developing informant programming for Carbon, Climate, Forest Ecological Resilience and Water within forest management outreach programming.The purpose of this program is to inform, increase and support active management of the state's tree canopy and forested resources on private non-industrial forest lands, municipally managed lands, urban/suburban canopy and state forested lands to increase returns and benefits to the landowner. In so doing, the goal is to enhance the resource, and ultimately retain New Jersey's forest resource and community tree canopy in a healthy, productive state. Methods for attaining the goals and objectives of the program will include in-service training to county-based agriculture and natural resource agents, extension specialists, and key volunteer programs (e.g., Rutgers Environmental Stewards), presence at field days, and contributions to professional and volunteer training conferences. We will develop programming with an eye to digital platforms to augment the accessibility of forest management support products. The program specifics will link to the 2020 NJ Department of Environmental Protection Forest Action Plan and the planned revisions to the NJ state Forestry BMP Manual. The targeted outcomes of these activities for the program are increased awareness of forest stewardship practices; increased awareness of invasive species and their management; an appreciation for climate change and the management of carbon in the transitioning forest and finally knowledge of and implementation of both established and updated forestry practices and supporting computerized management as linked to a larger statewide effort as represented in the updated State Forestry BMP manual.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
There are three program goals:Engage a process with stakeholders and state agencies in the update of the NJ Forestry BMP Manual, which in itself demands an outreach effort then further work to build awareness and practice adoption once updated and in place.Enhance resource management support with outreach programming for NJ Forest Adapt (https://njforestadapt.rutgers.edu/)Enhance collaborative educational and outreach efforts with NJDEP Forest Services.We will focus on the following objectives under each program goal.Engage a process with stakeholders and state agencies in the update of the NJ Forestry BMP Manual, which in itself demands an outreach effort then further work to build awareness and practice adoption once updated and in place.Develop a plan to recruit and convene an informed committee to engage an update process for the NJ Forestry and Wetlands Best Management Practices Manual (NJ Forestry BMP)With collaboration of the NJ DEP Forest Services group, develop a stakeholder community structure to inform and provide outreach buy-in for the updated manualCurate and organize materials for updating some sections while filling gaps in other sectionsAssist in developing the outreach materials and decision support tools to enable NJ Forestry BMP adoption.Enhance resource management on working forests and urban canopyEncourage forest stewardship planning in private land ownership, and provide access to supporting documentation and digital education products.Develop supporting information and outreach awareness programming to address invasive species threats to forest health and function.Encourage and support urban community forest management planning linkages and provide technical guidance as consistent with the NJ Forestry All Trees All Lands program structureMaintain our support with the existing NJ Woodland Stewards Program partners to ensure the ability to offer new training and service opportunities.Enhance collaborative educational and outreach efforts with NJDEP Forest ServiceWork with professional groups for updates on invasive species management issues and state efforts in reporting community inventory and emergency management planning effort.Develop web products for community volunteer and town hall outreach events and general training.Develop Within-Rutgers in-service training to expand our network and ability to connect NJ residents with statewide programs, events, and supporting information to encourage land stewardship.Continue the link with NJDEP and NJ Forestry Association to expand Backyard Forestry and woodland stewards programming.
Project Methods
1. Engage a process with stakeholders and state agencies in the update of the NJ Forestry BMP ManualConsistent with COVID-19 trajectories, development of a plan committee structure and meeting schedule in first yearDevelopment of holding system for informant literature and current tool supports for update of manual contentsStrength and Gap analysis for sections within the manualDocument structure and section writing for immediate updatesSection development and writing for new chapter/sections in manual to reflect new content added since last update (1995)Parallel document and outreach support materials paired with each section writing processDevelopment of linkages and web interface for public and professional access.2. Enhance collaborative educational and outreach efforts with NJDEP Forest Services -and-3. Build capacity through enhancing and strengthening connections to professional and forest research collaborative groups.Linkage of students to build outreach functionality with FIA and NJ Forestry dataCollaborative efforts and contribution of conference presentations and articles on forestry topics with professional groups such as: SAF, NJ Forestry Association , NJ Arborists/ISA, NJ Shade Tree Federation, Board of Licensed Tree Experts.Work with the NJ Forest Landscape and Agricultural Pest Roundtable in outreach program delivery, webinar and video content for township meeting and planning, and professional consultation support.Presentation development and delivery for allied industry conference / education events.Digital outreach training products for small community volunteer groups to develop inventory and management planning capacity.Outreach to private woodland and urban forestry consultation communities for enhanced functionality of management planning reports.Engage and develop an outreach program structure to manage and enhance the Woodland Stewards and Backyard Forestry program offerings within a larger integrated forestry presence.General Rutgers Cooperative Extension trainings and program support within programs such as the Environmental Stewards programPerformance measures include:number of educational events conducted for forest landowners, managers and community interest groups on the benefits and opportunities of forest stewardship/ management planning and technical practices.number of direct and indirect contacts who increased awareness of the benefits and opportunities of forest stewardship and tree care technical practices.number of educational events conducted for forest landowners and managers on the environmental and economic impacts of specific invasive speciesdistribution and visitation counts for print and digital fact sheets and outreach documentationfeedback from DEP on changes in submitted and approved management planning documents using new or improved data productsnumber of direct and indirect contacts who increased awareness of exotic invasive speciesnumber of forest landowners and managers who increased knowledge of at least one exotic invasive species and its control