FOREST MANAGEMENT AND LAND USE
Sustaining a diverse forest economy and contributing to climate change mitigation by supporting the health, resilience, and productivity of Vermont's forestlands through stewardship and management.
STRATEGY: Manage for increased forest health
Action 1: Provide robust data on forest health trends.
Build an understanding about the status and forecast trends of Vermont’s forests health by:
- Providing comprehensive and robust information to stakeholders and the public.
- Developing a coordinated government and industry response to emerging threats and changes in forest health (invasive species, climate-driven range shifts).
STRATEGY: Promote land use policies to maintain working forestlands
Action 4: Promote working forests in land use planning.
Promote legislation and other land use planning efforts that:
- Recognize the value of maintaining intact and connected forests.
- Promote sustainable forest management.
- Support forest products enterprises.
BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT AND CONDITIONS
Creating a business environment and workforce that supports the competitiveness of the Vermont forest products sector.
STRATEGY: Enhance capacity for industry adaptation
Action 9: Adopt climate resilience strategies.
Support the industry in adopting resilience strategies, including:
- Assisting forest products enterprises implement climate-adapted practices.
- Encouraging the installation of climate-resilient infrastructure.
- Promoting the use of logging equipment and techniques that reduce adverse impacts on soil and water quality.
- Facilitating improved access to finance and capital for forest products enterprises.
STRATEGY: Build strong connections to the next generation workforce
Action 12: Boost the next generation of forest workers.
Attract the next generation of forest workers and promote forest-based careers by:
- Conducting regular industry-based workforce needs surveys.
- Promoting forest industry careers in the K-12 education system and their important future connection to the Vermont landscape and economy.
- Investing in post-secondary technical education programs that provide hands-on training and education in modern, cutting-edge technologies and equipment.
- Connecting and collaborating with existing educational initiatives.
RESEARCH, INNOVATION, AND TECHNOLOGY
Promoting innovation and adaptability in the Vermont forest products sector by supporting technological development, cross-sector collaboration, and processing capability for both new and existing forest products.
STRATEGY: Accelerate the adoption of technical innovation
Action 18: Invest in accelerating innovation.
Support accelerated innovation and sustainability in Vermont’s forest products sector by:
- Promoting existing funding opportunities for working lands.
- Highlighting the positive impacts of investments.
- Supporting working lands investments to meet demand.
INDUSTRY REPUTATION AND MARKET PROFILE
Strengthening positive market and consumer perceptions by communicating the importance of working forests and promoting the benefits and contributions of Vermont's forest products and forest economy.
STRATEGY: Strengthen and maintain the social license of the forest products sector
Action 19: Promote the forest industry’s critical role as an ecosystem manager.
Promote the value that forest management and forest products enterprises deliver to Vermont by:
- Educating Vermonters and visitors about the key role that the forest industry plays in the stewardship and management of healthy forest landscapes and ecosystems.
- Highlighting the great products and materials that come from Vermont forests, and the connection between the forests, wood products, and their use in everyday lives.
- Providing regular public updates and resources on the overall forest health and condition of Vermont’s forests and the important role they play in ecosystem functioning.
- Increasing educational outreach to new generations by leveraging existing educational resources.
STRATEGY: Encourage the demand, use and appreciation for Vermont forest products
Action 22: Elevate the importance of modern and efficient wood energy.
Strengthen the key role that wood energy plays in Vermont by:
- Re-establishing the Statewide Wood Energy Team (SWET) to expand Vermont’s market leadership in the thermal wood energy sector.
- Exploring the feasibility of establishing a “Center for Wood Energy” as an education and innovation hub.
FOREST ECONOMY AND VERMONT COMMUNITIES
Protecting and enriching the positive impact of the forest economy on the communities embedded in the Vermont forest landscape.
STRATEGY: Build stronger linkages between forest users and the forest products sector
Action 26: Connect recreational and other forest users with the forest products sector.
Build active support for land management by:
- Promoting engagement of recreational users, conservation partners, anglers, hunters, foragers, and other interested stakeholders in forest management activities.
- Actively involving land users in interactive initiatives, such as volunteer work for invasive species control and trail development.
STRATEGY: Imagining the forest community of tomorrow
Action 30: Promote the economic contribution of the forest economy to Vermont communities.
Provide educational resources to Vermont communities about the role the forest products industry as a key economic driver by:
- Conducting an economic impact study every five years to assess the economic contributions of the forest products sector.
- Promoting the value of the forest products industry to rural communities and the state.