2020 Forests Sub-Group Final Report Forests Sub-Group Working and Natural Lands Working Group 11/6/2020 Acknowledgements Over the course of 5 months, the Forests Sub-Group held 9 public meetings, organized 20 presentations from experts on various issues related to forests and climate change, built a resource catalog of over 40 peer-reviewed journal articles, and kept up an enthusiastic pace thanks to the wisdom, expertise, and commitment of its members. The following members of the Forests Sub-Group who all contributed to this report are listed below with their organizational affiliations: Tim Abbott, Housatonic Valley Association Mark Ashton, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies Patrick Comins, Connecticut Audubon Society Thomas Easley, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies Robert Fahey, University of Connecticut, Natural Resources and the Environment Edward Faison, Highstead David Gumbart, The Nature Conservancy – CT Chapter Eric Hammerling, Connecticut Forest & Park Association, Chair Lisa Hayden, New England Forestry Foundation Charles Leigus, Supreme Forest Products, Inc. Amy Paterson, Connecticut Land Conservation Council Herb Virgo, Keney Park Sustainability Project The CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection also deserves enormous credit for supporting the efforts of this Sub-Group in addition to their “day jobs.” In particular, the Sub- Group wants to thank Commissioner Katie Dykes for enabling Rick Jacobson, Chris Martin, Cary Lynch, and Jaimeson Sinclair to be so engaged and helpful throughout this process. We also want to recognize the other Sub-Groups of the Working and Natural Lands Working Group – Agriculture/Soils, Rivers, Wetlands – as well as the Equity and Environmental Justice Working Group, the Science & Technology Working Group, and the Progress on Mitigation Strategies Working Group for their partnership on forest issues and to make our Sub-group and process as inclusive as it should be. Lastly, we thank Governor Lamont for re-energizing the Governor’s Council on Climate Change through Executive Order #3 which gave our Sub-Group its overall charge to create this report. In the following report, the Forests Sub-Group endeavors to give you a better understanding of Connecticut’s forests and the important role they play in helping Connecticut to adapt, become more resilient, and mitigate the many challenges we face due to climate change. Contents Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................... 1 Background ................................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1 Summary of Report ..................................................................................................................... 3 Status of Connecticut’s Forests ...................................................................................................... 6 Carbon Storage in Connecticut’s Forests .................................................................................... 6 Forest Quantity is Good but Highest Quality Forests are Getting Fragmented ......................... 6 Dominant Forest Types and Age Structure ................................................................................. 7 Who Owns the Woods? .............................................................................................................. 9 Management of Forests on DEEP Properties ............................................................................... 10 Forest Management Plan Status ............................................................................................... 10 Forest Management on DEEP Properties ................................................................................. 11 State Forests ......................................................................................................................... 11 Wildlife Management Areas ................................................................................................. 12 Forest Management Acreage by DEEP Land Classifications ..................................................... 13 Benefits of Forests to Ecosystems and Society ............................................................................. 14 Forests benefit wildlife ............................................................................................................. 14 Forests mitigate climate change and clean the air ................................................................... 14 Forests protect water resources ............................................................................................... 15 Forests provide wood products and economic benefits .......................................................... 15 Forests support recreation and health ..................................................................................... 16 Forests provide shade and make communities more livable ................................................... 16 Adopt Statewide “No-Net-Loss of Forest” Policy ......................................................................... 17 Top Priority Action .................................................................................................................... 17 Adaptation and Resilience Considerations for Connecticut’s Forests .......................................... 19 The Resilience of Connecticut’s Forests is currently Threatened and Declining ...................... 20 Actions to Increase Adaptation and Resilience of Connecticut’s Forests .................................... 21 Top Priority Actions ................................................................................................................... 21 Short Term (1-5 year) Recommendations ................................................................................ 21 Monitoring, Evaluation, and Planning .................................................................................. 21 Experimentation ................................................................................................................... 22 Forest Management Approaches ......................................................................................... 22 Education and Outreach ....................................................................................................... 23 Longer Term (5-10 year) Recommendations ............................................................................ 23 Forest Protection Strategies ................................................................................................. 23 Forest Restoration and Acquisition Strategies ..................................................................... 24 Implementing Forest Resiliency ............................................................................................ 24 Education and Outreach ....................................................................................................... 25 Changing Laws and Regulations ............................................................................................ 25 Creating Strong Markets for Products and Services with Multiple Benefits ........................ 25 Mitigation Considerations for Connecticut’s Forests ................................................................... 27 Available climate mitigation solutions in forests ...................................................................... 27 Connecticut’s Forest Carbon Storage ....................................................................................... 27 Connecticut’s Forest Carbon Sequestration and Future Role in Climate Mitigation ............... 27 Forest Conversion threats ......................................................................................................... 28 Reforestation Potential in Connecticut .................................................................................... 28 The Settled Treescape ............................................................................................................... 28 Timber harvesting in Connecticut ............................................................................................. 28 Actions to Increase Mitigation of GHG from Connecticut’s Forests ............................................. 29 Top Priority Actions ................................................................................................................... 29 Short Term (1-5 year) Actions ............................................................................................... 30 Longer Term (5-10 year) Actions .......................................................................................... 31 Develop Action Plan to Increase Forest cover from 59% to over 60% by 2040 ....................... 31 Short Term (1-5 year) Actions ............................................................................................... 31 Longer Term (5-10 year) Actions .......................................................................................... 32 Retain Large Trees and Forest Cover in Settled Landscapes (urban and residential) .............. 32 Short Term (1-5 year) Actions ............................................................................................... 32 Improve the Management