Woodland Partnership of Northwest Massachusetts Education, Natural-Resource Based Economic Development Committee Meeting - Jan. 19th, 2024

This is a virtual meeting. Members of the public are welcome to attend.

Please RSVP to Kate Conlin to request a Zoom link: [email protected]

Agenda

1. Call to order and welcome
2. Review & approval of November 13, 2023 minutes
3. Completion of a detailed space needs analysis and study report outlining the WP’s programmatic plans and uses for a physical Forest Center to be sited in the WP region
4. National Heritage Area feasibility study for Woodlands Partnership – Committee role?
5. Plan for inviting Agricultural Commissioner Ashley Randle to a future meeting
6. Discussion of potential action items and next steps, such as:
   1. MDAR’s Buy Local Campaign;
   2. definition of “crop” excluding perennial, long-lived tree crop;
   3. wood banks – LIHEAP program subsidizes no. 2 fuel and gas for heating homes while local wood and firewood is not considered; WP helping coordinate more efficient regional wood bank approach rather than town by town
7. Update on Charlemont/Hawley Wood Bank – Jay Healy
8. Agent update – Forests as Climate Solutions; EPA Climate Justice Grant
9. Items not anticipated within 48 hours
10. Schedule next meeting
11. Public Comment   
12. 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 Doing Business As the “Woodlands Partnership of Northwest Massachusetts” and requested the state legislature and USDA Forest Service to officially establish and recognize the new name.