Accelerating Adoption of Sustainable Practices for Small Forest Producers

Accelerating Adoption of Sustainable Practices for Small Forest Producers

Summary

This is a brief interim report for the first two quarters of our project. In 2014, NNRG and Ecotrust focused on preparations for developing the case studies of forest producers. NNRG confirmed case study participants and identified collection criteria for forest inventory data in consultation with Ecotrust. NNRG also developed draft interview questions to be submitted to SARE for review and a template document to summarize harvest data.

Objectives/Performance Targets

1. Research landowner decision-making processes and the impact of Ecotrust’s Forest Planner on these processes – By September 2015, NNRG and Ecotrust will complete research with nine producers on current forest management decision-making processes and the ways in which scenario information impacts these decisions. Ecotrust’s Forest Planner is intended to help landowners weigh revenue expectations, ecological goals, the potential for carbon crediting and the impact of management decisions by neighboring landowners. Our research will ask: Does this free Internet-based decision support tool improve decision-making and management planning capabilities for forest producers? Which tool outputs are most helpful in supporting decision-making? How do landowners consider the Forest Planner’s results in near-term plans for ecological thinning and restoration projects? Are landowners able to use the tool on their own or do they need assistance? NNRG and Ecotrust will complete initial landowner surveys, site visits, forest scenario trials and final surveys with nine producers to answer these research questions.  

2. Incorporate research results into outreach plans and materials – From July to October 2015, NNRG and Ecotrust will analyze research results and incorporate results into plans and materials for outreach. Each of the research questions have the potential to influence the design of educational workshops, materials and site visits. For example, if producers report that the tool outputs are most useful for informing the creation of management plans, then workshops will include information about how to integrate management plans and tool results. If producers report that tool outputs enable a switch from non-management to active ecological management, recruitment for the workshops will focus on landowners where non-management poses the greatest risks to forest health and long-term economic viability.

3. Educate producers and professionals about the use of a new planning tool to assist decision-making – From October 2015 to May 2016, NNRG and Ecotrust will conduct an education and outreach campaign, including three workshops, one webinar for forestry professionals and 30 individual producer follow up site visits. By May 2016, 49 producers and professionals will understand how to use information generated by the Forest Planner to assist decision-making.

4. Remove barriers to sustainable forest management by giving producers and professionals better information about expected long-term outcomes – By the end of the second year of the project in September 2016, at least 49 producers and professionals will have used the Forest Planner to generate information about expected long-term outcomes from active forest management.

5. Directly assist landowners in implementing ecological forestry projects – By the end of the second year of the project in September 2016, at least five producers will incorporate information from the Forest Planner into plans for ecological thinning projects and will complete thinning projects across at least 100 acres.

In 2015, NNRG and Ecotrust will complete research with nine producers on current forest management decision-making processes and analyze research results to understand ways in which scenario information impacts these decisions. Research results will inform the development and outreach for workshop trainings. By fall 2015, we will organize and begin promoting the first of three workshops on forest management decisions using the free Internet-based tool: Forest Planner.

• Harvest Producer Data Collection Sheet
• Case Study Criteria
• Non-Harvest Producer Data Collection Sheet
• Case Study Data Collection

Accomplishments/Milestones

In 2014, NNRG and Ecotrust focused on preparations for developing the case studies of forest producers. NNRG confirmed case study participants, identified collection criteria for forest inventory data in consultation with Ecotrust, and developed interview questions. NNRG also developed a template for summarizing harvest data.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

The goal of the project is to empower forest producers to switch from non-management to active ecological management and remove barriers to sustainable forest management by giving producers and professionals better information about expected long-term outcomes. By collecting data on nine producers and developing case studies, our research seeks to understand what information and circumstances compel producers to change from non-management to active ecological management.

Ecotrust’s Forest Planner is intended to help landowners weigh revenue expectations, ecological goals, the potential for carbon crediting, and the impact of management decisions by neighboring landowners. Our research asks: Does this free Internet-based decision support tool improve decision-making and management planning capabilities for forest producers? Which tool outputs are most helpful in supporting decision-making? How do landowners consider the Forest Planner’s results in near-term plans for ecological thinning and restoration projects? Are landowners able to use the tool on their own or do they need assistance?

Based on the interviews and feedback from producers, NNRG and Ecotrust will design workshops to assist producers in using Forest Planner to meet their management objectives. For example, if producers report that the tool outputs are most useful for informing the creation of management plans, then workshops will include information about how to integrate management plans and tool results. If producers report that tool outputs enable a switch from non-management to active ecological management, recruitment for the workshops will focus on landowners where non-management poses the greatest risks to forest health and long-term economic viability.

Collaborators: