Community-owned and community–managed forests are not a new concept. Examples can be found around the world. Some New England “town forests,” for instance, were established well over a century ago. Today in the U.S., over 3,000 communities in 43 states own 4.5 million acres of forestland, and these numbers continue to grow (Little, 2005). Following are examples of community forests from across the country, illustrating the wide variety of values and resources that community forests protect, and the governance and ownership forms that shape their management.
Aitkin County Forest, Minnesota
Aitkin County’s Land Department manages over 220,000 acres of forestland, originally acquired over many years through tax forfeiture. The forests are managed for ecological, economic and social objectives – sustaining a healthy and diverse forest, insuring the viability of timber and non-timber economic activities, and maintaining recreational opportunities and aesthetic values on the County’s forested lands. Recreational opportunities include camping, hiking and skiing, motorized uses, and hunting and trapping. The forests are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. While the County Board of Commissioners has final decision-making authority, a 15-member Lands and Forestry Advisory Committee of local citizens and forestry professionals meets 8-9 times a year to make recommendations on forest management practices. The Lands Department also holds public meetings to encourage public review of and feedback on annual forest management plans. For more information, contact the Aitkin County Land Department at 218-927-7364 or www.co.aitkin.mn.us.
Arcata City Forest, California
The City of Arcata, California owns 622 acres of forest, purchased over a 50-year period and dedicated as a Community Forest in 1955. In addition, the city owns and manages an additional 1,200 acres in the Jacoby Creek Forest. In addition to protecting the city’s water supply, the forest has provided recreational and educational opportunities, wildlife habitat and sustainable timber harvesting. Arcata’s Environmental Services Department manages the forests. A volunteer Forest Management Committee, composed of seven residents with backgrounds in botany, forest ecology, wildlife, fisheries, geology, recreation and forestry, advises department staff and City Council on forest policy. Committee meetings are open to the public and well-attended. Other avenues for citizen involvement include vision sessions and volunteer workdays. Humboldt State University also makes use of the forests as an outdoor laboratory for research and education. Both forests are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, and the city uses revenues generated from the forests to purchase and develop additional recreational facilities. For additional information, contact the City of Arcata’s Environmental Services Department at 707-822-8184 or www.cityofarcata.org.
Blackfoot Challenge Community Project, Montana
In 2003, the Blackfoot Challenge, a local landowner-based watershed organization in the Blackfoot River valley of western Montana, and The Nature Conservancy initiated the Blackfoot Community Project (BCP), a community-based plan to purchase 89,000 acres of Plum Creek Timber Company forestland in the valley. As part of the project the Blackfoot Challenge owns and manages a 5,600-acres community forest. Local residents have identified their priority values and issues to guide forest management through surveys and community meetings. In addition to this core community forest, the U.S. Forest Service, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks, and several private landowners will own an additional 41,000 acres, together forming the Blackfoot Community Conservation Area (BCCA). The BCCA Council, consisting of 15 members representing adjacent landowners, user groups, and the various public agencies that manage land within the BCCA, has direct management authority for the Core and coordinates the management efforts of the public agencies and private landowners in the BCCA. For more information, contact the Blackfoot Challenge at 406-793-3900 or www.blackfootchallenge.org.
Farm Cove Community Forest, Maine
In 2005, the Downeast Lakes Land Trust (DLLT) acquired the 27,080 acre Farm Cove Community Forest, including 62 miles of lake shore. Within the forest is a 3,560 acre ecological reserve buffered by a 3,751-acre late-successional management area. The community forest is being managed for sustainable timber production, wildlife habitat and recreational use. DLLT recently received Forest Stewardship Council certification. Local residents, including guides and business owners, are strongly represented on the land trust Board of Directors and committees. The board makes forest management decisions, based on recommendations from the Forest Resources Committee. Other programmatic committees include the Trails Committee and Education Committee. The community forest secures a large portion of the natural resource base that the local economy depends on - not only through the value of timber harvested and jobs created directly and indirectly from forest management, but also of the clean water and air, protected open space and wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, and local recreational opportunities, including existing sporting guide and camp industries potential new forms of ecotourism. For more information, contact the Downeast Lakes Land Trust at 207-796-2100 or www.downeastlakes.org.
Hoke Community Forest, North Carolina
The Conservation Fund and Hoke County, North Carolina are working together to purchase 532 acres of forestland near the county seat of Raeford and adjacent to the buffer surrounding Fort Bragg. The proposed management strategy aims to restore wildlife habitat, protect riparian buffers, expand recreational access, and provide economic opportunities for local residents. The land includes riparian hardwood forest along Rockfish Creek and a tributary, as well as softwood forest. Long-term management will improve Red Cockaded Woodpecker habitat by thinning underbrush and restoring long leaf pine forest to replace existing loblolly pine. The forest will increase access to horse trails, hiking, camping and fishing for nearby residents, who currently have limited access to forests for outdoor recreation. The forest will also provide economic opportunities for the community, including harvesting of pine straw, an important and commercially valuable renewable resource, and sustainable timber harvesting. For more information contact the Conservation Fund’s Resourceful Communities Program at 919-967-2223 or www.resourcefulcommunities.org.
Little Hogback Community Forest, Vermont
Vermont Family Forests and the Vermont Land Trust have worked with local residents around Monkton, Vermont to establish a privately-owned community forest. Together they have formed the Little Hogback Community Forest LLC, a Vermont limited liability corporation, which purchased a 115-acre forest near Monkton. Sixteen community residents own shares in the LLC, and the Vermont Land Trust holds a conservation easement on the land to protect it from future development. The LLC, the Vermont Land Trust and Vermont Family Forests will jointly approve a long-term forest management plan. The LLC will harvest some timber, approximately every 10 years, with revenues covering management costs and providing a return to shareholders. The forest is also open to the public for recreational use. For more information, contact Vermont Family Forests at (802) 453-7728 or www.familyforests.org.
13 Mile Woods, New Hampshire
In December 2005, the town of Errol acquired 5,269 acres of forestland for $4.05 million to create the 13 Mile Woods Community Forest. Community members worked with the Trust for Public Land, Lyme Timber Company, Coastal Enterprises, Inc., the Northern Forest Center, and other local and regional institutions to purchase the land. The community forest contains significant frontage on the Androscoggin River and provides an important link between other national, state and private conservation lands, including the Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge and White Mountain National Forest. The state of New Hampshire owns a permanent conservation easement on the forest to protect it from development and ensure sustainable management. The 13 Mile Woods Association manages the forest on behalf of the Town of Errol. It will actively manage the land as a working forest, as well as to provide recreational opportunities such as hiking, hunting, fishing, skiing and snowmobiling. For more information, contact the Trust for Public Land at 802-223-1373 or www.tpl.org.