Since its establishment in 1957, the St. Lawrence County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) in New York has been committed to safeguarding environmental resources. The district has evolved to encompass a wide range of initiatives, including forestry management.

In 2004, the district assumed responsibility for the management of all county-owned forestry land, effectively replacing the traditional forestry department.

This transition has empowered the district to adopt a proactive stance in addressing emerging environmental challenges while supporting private forest landowners. Through this stewardship, the district demonstrates its commitment to preserving natural resources, protecting biodiversity, and fostering environmental awareness among the community. This work includes a focus on eradicating the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), an invasive beetle that threatens the ash tree population of New York state.

Since the initial detection in the county and faced with the escalating threat of EAB in the state, the district’s forestry program is leading the charge locally.

The St. Lawrence SWCD has spearheaded multiple projects to monitor Emerald Ash Borer movements across the county. This included establishing trap tree clusters strategically placed around known infected areas to attract EAB to girdled trees. Removal of infected trees helped to reduce EAB populations and minimize the localized impact of the beetle.

Collaborating with the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, the district has provided support with black ash inventories and stand management. This work also included collaborating on research with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), focusing on integrated pest management studies centered on using EAB parasitoids.

These biocontrol measures included releasing EAB parasitoids at designated black ash stands and monitoring their establishment. Additionally, the district has conducted extensive inventories of ash species on over 500 miles of roadway and within some urban areas.

In 2022, the St. Lawrence SWCD embarked on a multi-year project to tackle the looming threat of EAB infestation. In partnership with the county, the district is conducting inventory and removal of ash and hazard trees within county rights-of-way to help limit EAB spread and reduce potential damage to people and property.

Last year, St. Lawrence SWCD continued that project, completing work on all towns along the St. Lawrence River.

By concentrating on tree removals and identifying candidates for treatment, the program aims to efficiently utilize resources and safeguard the local ecosystem. These local efforts play an important role in protecting New York's forests, emphasizing proactive measures to mitigate the impact of EAB infestation.

The St. Lawrence County SWCD continues to address the EAB challenge, with partners and evolving programs aimed at resilience and innovation.

To learn more about St. Lawrence SWCD and their array of programs please visit their website.

In 2022, the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities announced the establishment of the U.S. Forest and Wood Products Inclusion Council (Inclusion Council). This council envisions fostering workplaces that prioritize equity, safety, and a sense of belonging, ensuring everyone can thrive and contribute to sustainable forest management.

Since its inception, the council has actively worked to broaden the dialogue within the sector. Their efforts have focused on initiatives aimed at attracting fresh talent and addressing workforce disparities.

Currently, in an effort to create a more diverse and inclusive workforce for the forest sector, the Inclusion Council in partnership with the University of Arkansas at Monticello are collecting information on existing workforce and issues or opinions with respect to inclusion, recruitment, and retention.

The survey is part of a workforce study focused broadly on the forest and wood products sector, including actors along forest value chains and those involved with managing forest ecosystem services across the U.S. urban and rural landscapes. The particular focus is on identifying the existing workforce and exploring issues and opinions around inclusion, recruitment, and retention.

The data will be shared within the forest sector and with the Inclusion Council to inform the development of the National Action Plan the Council is developing.

The Source Water Collaborative hosted its 3rd webinar as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Webinar Series on April 22, 2024 titled Leveraging U.S. Forest Service BIL Funds for Source Water Protection on Forested Lands.

Attendees heard from USFS speakers about how major funding sources like BIL can be used for forest management projects with multiple benefits: watershed protection, wildfire mitigation, protection of aquatic resources, and protection of drinking water sources.

The speakers also covered how funds can be used on USFS and non-USFS lands for drinking water protection and wildfire mitigation projects, and about the highly successful Drinking Water Providers Partnership.

The BIL Learning Exchange made up of a set of webinars and related resources to help water stakeholders use the new BIL funding for source water protection. The BIL Learning Exchange:

Sign up here to receive notifications about future BIL-related webinars and other news from the Source Water Collaborative.

Watch the recording here.

The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, Inc. has garnered Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) approval for their Regional Risk Assessment (RRA) initiative, focusing on national forests across the contiguous United States.

In collaboration with the USDA Forest Service, the Endowment aims to assess and mitigate risks associated with biomass sourcing, guided by SBP standards emphasizing legal compliance, biodiversity protection, and carbon stock maintenance.

Leveraging a preliminary gap analysis demonstrating alignment between Forest Service management frameworks and SBP standards, the Endowment spearheads a comprehensive RRA process to bolster biomass market opportunities sourced sustainably from national forests, with completion slated for 2024.

Through this initiative, transparency, consistency, and efficiency in biomass sourcing practices are poised to improve, promoting sustainable forestry and biomass markets nationwide.

To learn more please visit this website.

NACD's annual Stewardship Week starts on April 28, and this year students will learn about forestry under the theme "May the Forests Be With You, Always!"

A wide range of forestry education materials are available printed or for free digital download on NACD's Marketplace. Check out the Education Guide, worksheets, bookmarks, and more. Please share these resources with local educators to help us teach the next generation of foresters!

Family Tree Documentary, Black Landownership & Sustainable Forestry

WUNC North Carolina Public Radio's program 'Due South' delved into the critical issues of Black land retention and sustainable forestry through an insightful conversation with Mavis Gragg, co-founder of HeirShares and a 2024 Loeb Fellow at Harvard University Graduate School of Design.

The documentary 'Family Tree,' which will be showcased at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Durham, NC is directed by Jennifer MacArthur. The film explores how Black land ownership and sustainable forestry intertwine as two North Carolina families endeavor to build intergenerational wealth while nurturing healthy forests.

Through the lens of the Williams and Jefferies families, viewers witness the resilience and determination required to preserve heritage and foster sustainable practices in forestry management.

Listen to the interview and learn more about how to view Family Tree here.

April 28 - May 5, 2024 | NACD Stewardship Week

June 4-6, 2024 | Sustainable Forestry Initiative Annual Conference | Atlanta, GA

August 10-13, 2024 | NACD Summer Meeting | Boston, MA

Sep 9-12, 2024 | Biennial National Tribal and Indigenous Climate Conference | Anchorage, AK

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