New York State Forest Action Plan 2020 DRAFT Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor | Basil Seggos, Commissioner Contents Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................................................... iv Glossary of Terms .................................................................................................................................... viii Acronyms ..................................................................................................................................................... x Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 1 Organization of the Plan ........................................................................................................................ 1 GOAL #1: Keep New York’s Forests as Forests ...................................................................................... 3 Assessment: New York’s forested landcover ........................................................................................ 4 Assessment: Private forestlands ........................................................................................................... 6 Assessment: Forested state lands ........................................................................................................ 9 Assessment: Urban and community forests........................................................................................ 11 Assessment: Federal lands with significant forests ............................................................................ 12 Assessment: Land use trends and drivers of forestland conversion .................................................. 13 Assessment: Effects of a changing climate and environment on New York’s forests ........................ 14 Assessment: Valuing forests for carbon storage and community adaptation ..................................... 18 Assessment: Open Space Conservation Plan for forest protection .................................................... 19 Assessment: Public land purchases for forest protection ................................................................... 20 Assessment: Conservation easements for forest protection ............................................................... 21 Priority Landscapes: Forest Legacy Program ..................................................................................... 22 Priority Landscapes: Metropolitan, urban, and suburban areas .......................................................... 23 Focus Area: Private forestland protection and management .............................................................. 25 Focus Area: Private forest stewardship program ................................................................................ 26 Focus Area: Indian Nations in our state .............................................................................................. 28 Strategy: Actively pursue afforestation and forest restoration efforts ................................................. 29 Strategy: Maintain and restore connectivity between fragmented and parcelized forestland ............. 30 Strategy: Establish buffers for existing protected forests through partnerships .................................. 31 Strategy: Promote more community-owned forests in urban and suburban areas............................. 32 Strategy: Help private landowners keep and manage their forests sustainably ................................. 34 Strategy: Continue research and assessment efforts to document forest resources ......................... 35 Strategy: Understand and respond to negative effects of climate change on forests ........................ 35 GOAL #2: Keep New York’s Forests Healthy ......................................................................................... 37 Assessment: Forest health affected by potentially damaging agents ................................................. 37 Assessment: Forest regeneration ....................................................................................................... 40 Assessment: Status of New York’s forest biodiversity ........................................................................ 42 Assessment: Connectivity of forests ................................................................................................... 48 Assessment: Soil resources in forests ................................................................................................ 49 Assessment: Forest health monitoring ................................................................................................ 51 Focus Area: Urban forest health ......................................................................................................... 52 Strategy: Foster diversity of native plants and animals in forests ....................................................... 53 Strategy: Boost forest regeneration and healthy forest structure........................................................ 53 Strategy: Protect from, remove, or mitigate impacts of invasive species and pests ........................... 55 Strategy: Manage forest fires for the benefit of forests ....................................................................... 57 Strategy: Cooperatively implement indigenous knowledge for forest health ...................................... 58 Strategy: Help private forest owners keep their forests healthy ............................................................ 59 Strategy: Continue forest health-related research initiatives .............................................................. 60 NEW YORK STATE FOREST ACTION PLAN 2020 | Contents i GOAL #3: Ensure Forests Benefit Humans and All Living Creatures ................................................. 61 Assessment: Forest protection for drinking water quality and supply ................................................. 61 Assessment: Benefits of urban tree canopy and green infrastructure ................................................ 63 Assessment: Health, safety, and other benefits from forests.............................................................. 64 Assessment: Productive capacity of timberlands ................................................................................ 66 Assessment: Costs of forest management ......................................................................................... 68 Assessment: Economic impact of New York’s forests ........................................................................ 69 Assessment: Forest product manufacturing ........................................................................................ 70 Assessment: Forest-based public outdoor recreation opportunities ................................................... 73 Assessment: Economic benefits of outdoor recreation ....................................................................... 75 Priority Landscapes: Recreational hotspots and long distance trails .................................................. 76 Focus Area: Urban areas and urban forests ....................................................................................... 77 Focus Area: Forests and cultural resources ....................................................................................... 78 Focus Area: Resources and tenure rights of indigenous peoples ...................................................... 79 Focus Area: Managing wildfires and communities at wildfire risk ....................................................... 80 Strategy: Manage forest fires for public safety and benefit ................................................................. 84 Strategy: Conserve and manage working forests for multiple values and uses ................................. 85 Strategy: Manage forests for sustainable recreation opportunities ..................................................... 86 Strategy: Support forest management as a mitigation and adaptation strategy ................................. 86 Strategy: Enhance forest contributions to ecosystem benefits ............................................................ 88 Strategy: Maintain sustainable markets for sustainable forest products ............................................. 90 Strategy: Recognize indigenous peoples’ use of and care for forests. ............................................... 91 GOAL #4: Appreciate, Support, and Protect New York’s Forests........................................................ 92 Assessment: Planning, zoning, and policies for resilience and forest protection ............................... 92 Assessment: Economic framework for sustainable private forestry ................................................... 94 Assessment: Unsustainable or exploitative harvesting practices ....................................................... 95 Assessment: Legal and institutional framework for state-owned forest protection ............................. 96 Focus Area: Sustainable forestry and BMPs ...................................................................................... 97 Strategy: Enhance legal protections and policy frameworks in support of forestry ............................ 98 Strategy: Increase incentives to use the latest science in forest management .................................. 99 Strategy: Increase technical expertise among forest owners and managers ..................................