Victory for FMTSF-ENTS    Robert Leverett
   May 25, 2006 11:27 PDT 

ENTS,

The commonwealth of Massachusetts has undertaken an ambitious program
to partition its public forests into areas of active management and
forest reserves using models partly developed by TNC that speak to the
preservation of biodiversity. Basically, the reserve component of the
program calls for 20% of the public forests to be set aside as forest
reserves (no management), which amounts to about 120,000 acres.

I am part of a select committee that is identifying reserve boundaries
in western Massachusetts. Presently, I am the only non-state employee
representative on the committee and that distinction comes from the work
FMTS-ENTS has done over the years. Here I join FMTSF and ENTS as an
entity since some of the work done is more properly identified as ENTS,
but under the auspices of Friends.

   Near and dear to my heart are the forests of the Deerfield River
watershed in western Massachusetts. The public forests of consequence
include Mohawk Trail State Forest, Savoy Mountain State Forest, Kenneth
M. Dubuque State Forest, and Monroe State Forest. These 5 properties
include approximately 30,000 acres.

    As of Tuesday afternoon, the committee had agreed on the set aside
of just under 8,000 acres as forest reserves within the above four state
forests. This amounts to 26 2/3% of the 30,000 total acres and includes
all the old growth and the high growth sites of the mature second growth
areas. The remaining acreage, to be actively managed, is all upland
second growth that has been repeatedly cut and in need of a good
silvicultural prescription.

    The partnership that has been formed between FMTSF-ENTS and the
state's Department of Conservation and Recreation has been exemplary.
One reason for the success of the partnership is the quality of the
information that FMTSF presents to DCR about the forests that we study.
It also represents different kinds of information than cna be gleaned
from the state's Continuous Forest Inventory program. One system is not
a substitute for the other, so there is a genuine benefit to DCR to
having us out there measuring trees, documenting old growth, and mapping
our findings.    

    Under "Newest Updates", May 22, 2006 Ed has posted a copy of the
report that I carried with me to the Tuesday committee meeting. Please
feel free to review it.

    I'll let the report do the talking. I would just like to point out
that report would have been impossible to produce to the included level
of detail without extensive input from the following Ents:

    Tony D' Amato (PhD candidate, UMASS, on Board of FMTSF),

    Gary Beluzo (Professor, HCC, Science advisor FMTSF),

    Will Blozan (President and cofounder of ENTS,
                 past science technician with GSMNP, arborist),

    Dr. Lee Frelich (Director, Center for Hardwood Ecology, UMINN,
                VP of ENTS, unofficial advisor to FMTSF)

    John Eichholz (the resident FMTSF-ENTS mathematician),

    John Knuerr (resident ENTS philosopher, Exec Dir of FMTSF)

    Lisa Bozzuto (resident FMTSF forester and forest researcher),

    Susan Benoit (Sooper dooper assistant),

    Susan Scott (Archeologist and sooper dooper assistant),

    Howard Stoner (ENTS mathematician),

    Dr. David Orwig (Harvard Forest scientist),

Other significant contributors include:

    Dr. Robert Van Pelt (Forest ecologist,tree measurer
                         extraordinaire),

    Ed Coyle (Arborist and climber),

    Dale Luthringer (Naturalist and educational director at Cook),


    Dr. Tom Diggins (Ecologist at Youngstown State U.
                     principal researcher at Zoar Valley, NY),

    Ed Frank (ENTS webmaster),   

    Jess Riddle (ENTS Ecologist),

    Nancy Rich (PhD candidate Antioch Graduate School,
                board member of Friends),

    Holly Post (Sooper dooper assistant),

    Professor Monica Jakuc (My new boss and Secretary-clerk,
                            of Friends),

    Paul Jost (Electrical engineer and tree measurer extraordinaire),

    Dr. John O'Keefe (Harvard Forest - oversees Fisher Museum),

    Dr. Neil Pederson (Dendrochronologist, Columbia University
                      at the time),

    Tad Zebryk (Forest ecologist),


   People no longer with us who have contributed to the high level of
acceptance of Mohawk as a forest of great historical, ecological,
scientific, aesthetic, and cultural value include:

    Jani Leverett (Past president, FMTSF and Director of AIM, Mass),

    Frank Decontie (Algonquin Native American advisor to FMTSF),

    Colby Rucker (The grand old man of ENTS),

    Dr. Michael (Perlman (One of the cofounders of ENTS),

    Karl Davies (Forester extraordinaire),

    Bill Shafer (Forest companion, great human being),

   People who are still living and who have made valuable contributions
in the past that are reflected in the current or prior reports in one
way or another include:

    Dr. Peter Dunwiddie (Plant ecologist,
        my partner in the first wide scale
        studies of Mass old growth),

    Don Bertolette (Professional forester and ecologist
                 - now with the Grand Canyon NP,
                  ** and most importantly** ,
                  my buddy in consuming mass
                  quantities of sherbet)

    Dr. Patricia Swain (Plant ecologist, Mass Natural Heritage
                  and Endangered Species Program),

    Joseph Choinier (Mass Audubon naturalist),

    Mo Ewing(Forest ecology graduate student, Antioch Grad School),

    Jack Sobon (Timber Framer, architect, surveyor),

    William Rivers (Management and planning forester, DCR),

    Chief Jake Swamp(Mohawk Tree of Peace treaty Chief),

    Chief Arvol Looking Horse(19th Generation Keeper of the
                            Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe)

    Dr. David Kittredge (State Extension Forester),

    Chris Kane (Forest ecologist),

    Ehrhard Frost (Forester, Forest Stewards Guild),

    Ross Morgan (Forester, Forest Stewards Guild),

    Kimberly Jensen (Naturalist),

    Chief Joseph Norton (Mohawk - Kahnawake, Reserve),

    William Commanda (Elder, Algonquin Nation of Canada),

    John Brown (Chief, Narragansett Nation, Rhode Island),

    Bob Bagdon (Poet and song writer),

    Dennis Hayman (Douser, species communicator),

    Diane Gray (Photographer extraordinaire),

    Paul Rezendes (Photographer extraordinaire and animal tracker);

    Sandy Oliver (Poet),

    Jim Balog (Photographer)

If I have left anyone out of any of the above lists, my sincere
apologies. This is all straight of the top of my head.

Representation in FMTSF-ENTS from outside scientists, foresters,
naturalists, arborists, etc. has made a significant difference in how
DCR views the effort that we collectively make. It will come as no
surprise that DCR expects me to be in full promotional mode most of the
time - no surprises there. They accept my tree measuring prowess, but
they also want to know that there is a real team of experts making the
effort and there definitely is.

So, I just want to take this opporrtunity to say a heart felt thanks
to all of you. We've accomplished the mission as a team. ENTS is way,
way cool. Just way, way cool.

Bob


Robert T. Leverett
Cofounder, Eastern Native Tree Society
RE: Victory for FMTSF-ENTS   Joshua Kelly
  May 25, 2006 14:21 PDT 

Congratutions Bob and FMTSF!

8,000 acres of forest preserve is a large chunk of good news! A toast to
protecting old-growth and other priceless landscapes. Hopefully, this will
be the start of permanent protection for all primary forests in the East!

Cheers,
Josh
Re: Victory for FMTSF-ENTS   windbear@juno.com
  May 27, 2006 03:12 PDT 
Bob,

I am sure we are all delighted at this turn of events. I am for sure. I also know that you will never toot your own horn, so I will do so for you. All of the folks on your list have certainly helped make this come to fruition. It is wonderful to behold - and to have participated in it. I have always felt as though this Forest that has been selected has been a part of me for many lifetimes. It always feels like home when I am there.

So, my humble brother, let it be said that you have been, and continue to be, the binding that tied all the pieces together. Using the Haudenosaunee example, one arrow may be broken quite easily in your hands, but bind several together with stout cordage and their strength is increased many fold. (We'll have to add that as a new name to Burl-Belly: Stout Cordage).
We all know that facts and measurements are not enough to produce the results we have sought. There needed to be someone with the expertise to communicate with everyone in the scientific, political, and spiritual communities - and all in between - to show them the value of preserving our natural heritage and biodiversity.

You are that man. I know that this result is very satisfying to you and also that you will not stop there. My humble thanks to you and a hearty congratulations!!! And a big Bear hug.
Warmest regards,

Dennis