By Lisa Romano

Like most states, Massachusetts employs service foresters, who are distributed across 14 regions of the Commonwealth. Their job is to oversee logging activities on all forest land, which, in Massachusetts, means primarily family-owned woodlands. The service forester role is rather unique in Massachusetts. Unlike most states east of the Mississippi, Massachusetts has somewhat comprehensive laws regarding logging.

Any cut that will yield over 50 cords or 25,000 board feet of timber (approximately 10 acres is a good rule of thumb), requires a cutting plan be submitted to and approved by the state. The state in this case is the regional service forester, who will read the plans (which include everything from what will be cut to how many and what kind of stream crossings are planned), walk the area to be cut, and determine if all Massachusetts’ regulations will be followed.

Because Massachusetts has a significant collection of forestry regulations (under Chapter 132), Massachusetts service foresters are the primary regulatory body whose responsibility is to be sure logging laws are being followed. Their role doesn’t end once a cutting plan has been approved. Service foresters in Massachusetts also visit jobs that are underway to be sure cutting plans are being implemented and short cuts aren’t being taken. Being the enforcer can have its drawbacks (some loggers aren’t always happy to see them), but the service forestry program is the primary  means of being sure Massachusetts’ forestry goals are being met; that is, all of our forests have a least some level of protection to ensure their current and future sustainability. In addition to managing logging in their region, service foresters also serve as a first point of contact for landowners who have questions about their property. Sean Libby has recently come on as the Massachusetts service forester for the Hilltowns region, which comprises a large chunk of the Westfield River watershed. Sean describes his new position as having two prongs: regulation and outreach/education. His days out in the field are often spent walking property in his region, determining if cutting plans are appropriately written and checking on logging jobs to be sure cutting plans are being followed. When he’s not walking in the woods, Sean primarily works with landowners who have contacted him for information. “Any landowner in my district,” he explains, “that has any question at all about forestry, selling timber, what the different tax programs are like, or what their options are for their land, I can help them. Those are the fun calls.”

Having worked as a private forester in western Massachusetts for four years, Sean has a wealth of information regarding management in Massachusetts, including sustainability, best management practices, and legal issues. When landowners call him, Sean says, “I go out, meet with them,walk their property with them, give them some suggestions, and then point them in the direction of a private consultant who can help.” Having worked on the “flip side” of what he’s doing now, Sean has a unique perspective and understanding of management planning and timber sales. And having no financial stake in the decisions landowners make, Sean, and all service foresters in Massachusetts, can be expected to give unbiased management advice and to educate landowners so that they can make more informed decisions once they begin working with a hired forester. Service foresters provide this advice free of charge to landowners.

MassACORN has a database of service foresters for the Deerfield and Westfield river watersheds. Visit http://massacorn.net/index.php/localcontact and click on your town or region for contact information for your service forester. Once you and your service forester have discussed plans for your land, you may then choose to contact a local land trust, conservation organization, or private forester—also listed on that page—to help you proceed with your plans.