The Skidder Online

New Dovetail Report: Forest-Based Economic Clusters

Dovetail Partners, Inc. has completed its latest report, "Forest-Based Economic Clusters:  Models for Sustainable Economic Development."

Click here to download the report.

Check it out--thanks!

UPDATES FROM BIOENERGY AND FAMILY FOREST ACTION TEAMS

Please click here to read an update from Steve Betzler and Jim Bowyer about developments of a MN Bioenergy Strategy.  Please contact Steve if you have any questions.

 

Please click here for a report from Monday's Family Forest Action Team meeting, which is planning a mailing to Itasca County landowners and a training for County Assessors.  Please contact Lori Dowling if you have any questions.

 

Many thanks to eveyone who is keeping this good work moving forward!

 

 

Carbon Off-sets in Business North

In its August issue, Business North gives top front-page billing to a lengthy article exploring the role that forests can play in mitigating global climate change, including through participation in voluntary carbon off-set markets. 

 

The impetus and frame for the article was the Foundation’s Vital Forests/Vital Communities February  conference, Forest Values and Carbon Markets (here’s a link to conference proceedings).

 

Based on research commissioned by the Foundation on behalf of Minnesota land managers and shared at the conference, Aitkin County is now poised to add carbon sequestration to the list of public benefits for which the county will manage its land, a move which could add a significant and sustainable new source of revenue for the county, along with the environmental benefits to Minnesota and beyond.   Other counties and private land owner associations are contacting Aitkin County Land Department to learn more as they consider the opportunity. 

PLEASE REVIEW: Draft Dovetails Report on Forest-Based Economic Clusters

Dovetail Partners, Inc. requests your input on a draft of their latest report, "Forest-Based Economic Clusters:  Models for Sustainable Economic Development."

 

You can download the report by clicking here.

 

Please forward you suggestions to Katie Fernholz by COB on Monday, August 24.

 

Also, I mistakenly neglected to say thanks to the Aitkin County Private Woodlands Committee for the support they provided to the Aitkin County Intermediate Treatments tour.  Mea culpa and thanks!

 

Matt 

 

Aitkin County Intermediate Treatments Tour Video Summary

One of the key learnings from our productivity tour series is that “intermediate treatments can be an effective tool for increasing forest productivity…as long as we don’t go overboard.” 

 

Last week, the Aitkin County Land Department hosted a tour that focused on their experiences of applying intermediate treatments in a variety of forest types. 

 

Katie Fernholz of Dovetail Partners, Inc. produced video and written summaries of the tour that you can access via the links below...thanks Katie!

 

10 Minute Video Summary 

 

Written Summary

 

And thanks to the Aitkin County Land Department and the Forest Guild for co-sponsoring this event with the Blandin Foundation!

 

Warm regards,
Bernadine

 

 

Biomass Harvesting Guidelines Report Complete

Dovetail Partners, Inc. has completed its latest report, "Energy from Woody Biomass:  A Review of Harvesting Guidelines and A Discussion of Related Challenges." 

Katie Fernholz wanted me to pass along that Dovetail "got great feedback from the action team members, and special thanks to Kathleen Preece for polling the MFRP to help gather comments! "

PLS REVIEW: BIOMASS HARVESTING GUIDELINES REPORT

Dovetail Partners, Inc. has requested that you review the following draft report about woody biomass harvesting guidelines.  Please send your suggestions to Katie Fernholz by July 27.

Energy from Woody Biomass: A Review of Harvesting Guidelines and a
Discussion of Related Challenges

Also, please don't forget the upcoming Intermediate Treatments Tour being sponsored by the Aitkin County Land Department on July 31 from 10a-5 pm.  You can view an agenda here.  Please contact Mark Jacobs with questions.

Thanks!

Info from June 23 Working Dinner

Two items for you today:

1.  As promised, below please find summaries of the info provided and collected at last week's working dinner:

Bioenergy Action Team--06-23-09 Update

Building A Constituency Action Team--06-23-09 Update

Intermediate Treatments Action Team--06-23-09 Update

Family Forest/NIPF Action Team--06-23-09 Update

State Lands Action Team--06-23-09 Update

Key Policy Issues "Beyond VF/VC"--Table Discussions Summary

 

2.  Please consider attending the upcoming business conference "Survive and Thrive:  Seizing Opportunities in a Tough Economy" on July 15 and the Inn on Lake Superior in Duluth.  The confernece is being sponsored by the Forest Products Society Upper Mississippi Valley Section.  Click here for a conference flyer.

Bernadine Goes to Washington

Hi all:

Please click here to read Bernadine's report from her meeting this week at the White House.  Her purpose for being there had to do with Broadband stimulus funding, the meeting also addressed natural resource issues of interest to ProTour participants.  Here's an excerpt:

Racheal Stuart of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation/Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund spoke about one other area of American Reconstruction and Reinactment Act (ARRA) focus in which Blandin has a particular interest – natural resource use.  Though we had never met, Racheal had contacted me about the Foundation’s Vital Forests/Vital Communities work, and I knew her to be a thoughtful and innovative thinker.  While noting that rural America can and should play a significant role in production of renewable energy,  Racheal  highlighted significant potential risks, including over harvesting or unsustainable extraction of natural/economic assets; use of a region’s natural resources to create wealth that is exported from the region.  To help mitigate these risks and ensure long term community benefits , Racheal called for the ARRA to support community scale energy systems (especially district heating), support community ownership of facilities and natural assets; and pursue community benefits agreements.

Have a great weekend,
Matt 

 

 

Beyond Vital Forests/Vital Communities: Sustaining the Work

I write today to share the news that Blandin Foundation will formally conclude our Vital Forests/Vital Communities Initiative by the end of this year.  Intended to have a 3-5 year life, VF/VC was launched in 2003 to strengthen and diversity Minnesota’s forest-based economy and promote the long-term ecological health of the forest resource that supports it.  In deciding to conclude the initiative, Blandin Foundation Trustees reaffirmed the role our forests play in our healthy community strategies.

Vital Forests/Vital Communities has been a vehicle for directing Foundation investments of over $15 million, coordinating investments and projects by others, including the Minnesota State Legislature, and marshalling a network of organizations and leaders to undertake a wide variety of forestry- and forest products industry-related activities.  In all, this work has leveraged over $40 million dollars from other organizations towards the Initiative’s goals.  (LINK TO GOALS PAGE OF VFVC)

Over the months remaining in 2009, project staff will work towards the smooth and successful conclusion and/or sustainable hand-off of VF/VC-initiated projects.  Our goals include laying the groundwork for future actions by others on critical forest policy issues, honoring the leadership of key partners, and helping position others to continue the work through Vital Forests/Vital Communities.  With the help of a series of assessment reports, the Foundation also intends to evaluate the initiative, identify lessons learned, and share them with partners in the forestry and philanthropy fields.

While there is still lots of learning ahead as we move into an assessment phase of the project, VF/VC staff and Advisory Board members have identified some preliminary key messages from the work over the past several years:

• Forests are important to Minnesota’s economy, environment and communities.
• Minnesota should make the necessary investments to improve the quantity, quality and value of our forests and the forest products and benefits they provide.
• The organizations that care about Minnesota’s forests have the leadership, vision and shared commitment necessary to meet this challenge.  They deserve public support.

We intend to work with partners, the VF/VC Advisory Board, and you, dear blog readers, to strategize on how best to deliver these core messages – and flag new and ongoing policy priorities – to audiences that matter.  Together we’ve accomplished a lot – there is always more good work to do.  As the late, former Governor Elmer Anderson often said, “You never lose when you pursue a worthy goal.”  Minnesota has nothing to lose, and much to gain from continuing to focus on VF/VC’s worthy goal of promoting the connection between a healthy forest-based economy, healthy forest ecosystems, and healthy communities.

Kind regards,
Bernadine