Draft 2020 New Hampshire Forest Action Plan
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New Hampshire Forest Action Plan – 2020 Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Division of Forests and Lands Acknowledgements This document was developed by the New Hampshire State Forest Action Plan team: Brad Simpkins, Director (former), NH Division of Forests and Lands Tracey Boisvert, NH Division of Forests and Lands Susan Francher, NH Division of Forests and Lands William Guinn, NH Division of Forests and Lands Kyle Lombard, NH Division of Forests and Lands Steven Roberge, UNH Cooperative Extension Steven Sherman, NH Division of Forests and Lands Sabrina Stanwood, NH Division of Forests and Lands with review and guidance from the New Hampshire Forest Advisory Board: Carol Foss, New Hampshire Audubon Charles Niebling, Innovative Natural Resource Solutions Dennis McKenney, Forester David Publicover, Appalachian Mountain Club John Caveney, Forester Jasen Stock, NH Timberland Owners Association Jack Bronnenberg, Logger James Oehler, NH Fish and Game Tom Thomson, Forest Landowner Jack Savage, Society for the Protection of NH Forests Mark Ducey, University of New Hampshire USDA Forest Service, White Mountain National Forest Steven Roberge, UNH Cooperative Extension Mark Zankel, The Nature Conservancy in NH Most of the information contained in the Assessment section of this plan was taken from the New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands, Forest Resource Assessment - Forest Legacy Program, 2019 report developed by Innovative Natural Resource Solutions, LLC and The Nature Conservancy – New Hampshire. The Division of Forests and Lands thanks the many individuals and stakeholder groups who provided input, attended meetings, answered questions, and reviewed drafts. The Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Division of Forests and Lands protects and promotes the values provided by the state’s trees, forests, and natural communities. The Division of Forests and Lands is an equal opportunity employer. NH Forest Action Plan - 2020 CONTENTS Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 6 About New Hampshire’s Forests........................................................................................................... 6 Forest Action Plan Components............................................................................................................ 8 Stakeholder Engagement ...................................................................................................................... 8 What We Heard .................................................................................................................................... 9 About the Division of Forests and Lands ............................................................................................ 10 FOREST RESOURCE ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................................... 12 1. Total Area of Forest Land & Forest Land Trends ................................................................................ 12 2. Forest Land Conversion ....................................................................................................................... 18 3. Soil Productivity .................................................................................................................................. 20 4. Fish & Wildlife Habitat ........................................................................................................................ 25 5. Matrix Woodland Communities .......................................................................................................... 28 Exemplary Matrix Woodland Communities ........................................................................................ 28 Rare Plants Occurring in Matrix Woodland Communities .................................................................. 28 Status of Matrix Woodland Communities .......................................................................................... 29 6. Watershed Values ............................................................................................................................... 32 7. Forest Insects & Disease – Native and Invasive .................................................................................. 40 Insects: ................................................................................................................................................ 40 Diseases: ............................................................................................................................................. 43 8. Terrestrial Invasive Plants ................................................................................................................... 45 9. Fire Management ................................................................................................................................ 47 Wildfire Protection .............................................................................................................................. 47 Prescribed Fire .................................................................................................................................... 50 10. Climate Change ................................................................................................................................. 53 Forest Carbon ...................................................................................................................................... 60 11. Large Forestland Blocks .................................................................................................................... 64 12. Conservation Lands ........................................................................................................................... 68 13. Forest-Related Recreation Trends and Opportunities ...................................................................... 72 14. Population Trends ............................................................................................................................. 76 15. Development Pressure ...................................................................................................................... 83 16. Housing Density ................................................................................................................................ 89 17. Forest Landowner Trends and Potential for Change ........................................................................ 92 18. Trends in Size of Forestland Ownership ........................................................................................... 95 NH Forest Action Plan - 2020 19. Urban and Community Forests ......................................................................................................... 96 20. Forest Industry .................................................................................................................................. 99 21. Legal, Institutional, and Policy Framework ..................................................................................... 111 New Hampshire forest policy and law .............................................................................................. 111 State and Institutional Framework ................................................................................................... 113 Forest management standards/guideline ......................................................................................... 115 Forest-related assessment & planning ............................................................................................. 115 Priority Landscapes ............................................................................................................................... 118 Forest Stewardship Priority Areas .................................................................................................... 121 Multi-State Priorities ............................................................................................................................. 123 Goals-Strategies-Actions ........................................................................................................................... 127 FOCUS AREA – FOREST ECOLOGY ......................................................................................................... 127 FOCUS AREA – WILDFIRE MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................. 129 FOCUS AREA - FOREST HEALTH ............................................................................................................. 131 FOCUS AREA - FOREST MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................. 133 FOCUS AREA - CLIMATE CHANGE.......................................................................................................... 136 FOCUS AREA - URBAN & COMMUNITY FORESTS .................................................................................. 137 FOCUS AREA - LAND CONSERVATION ................................................................................................... 139 FOCUS AREA – FOREST BASED ECONOMY ............................................................................................ 142 FOCUS AREA - FOREST POLICY & INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK .......................................................... 146 FOCUS AREA - EDUCATION & OUTREACH ............................................................................................