Woodland Partnership of Northwest Massachusetts, Natural Resource Based Economic Development Committee Meeting - Apr 12th, 2024

This is a virtual meeting. Members of the public are welcome to attend. Please RSVP at any time to Kate Conlin to request a Zoom link: [email protected]

Agenda

1. Call to order and welcome
2. Review & approval of January 19, 2024 minutes
3. Finalization of Committee’s message/asks at the upcoming joint Committee Chair/Executive Committee hybrid meeting on April 16. Already-discussed topics include:
   • Begin consistent educational programming/woods walks
   • Possible reallocation of Forest Center space needs study grant funds to begin programming now
   • Promoting local products, tie in with agriculture – Buy Local, state aid
   • Promotion of non-timber forest products
   • Developing relationship with/asks of Agricultural Commissioner
   • Wood banks expanding regionally
4. Agent update – Canopy 2024 Forests, Climate, & Innovation Forum; grants updates; upcoming events; BRPC EPA Climate Justice Grant planning group
5. Items not anticipated within 48 hours
6. Schedule next meeting
7. Public Comment   
8. Adjourn

Natural-Resource Based Economic Development Committee members: Amy Shapiro — Franklin County Community Development Corporation (chair); Chris Skelly — Buckland (notetaker); Paul Catanzaro — UMass Amherst, Forest Ecosystems, Carbon Cycling in Terrestrial Systems & Climate Change Faculty; Jay Healy — Charlemont; Russ Richardson — Massachusetts Forest Alliance

*On Oct. 11, 2022, the Board of the public body created in 2018 voted unanimously to change its name from the “Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership” in its bylaws to operating as the “Woodlands Partnership of Northwest Massachusetts” and requested the state legislature and USDA Forest Service to officially establish and recognize the new name.