Find out what is happening in Moosalamoo.
Click one of the following links.
National Public Lands Day tree planting
National Trails Days - June 7, 2008
June 2nd Celebration
New England Wilderness Act
New Green Mountain National Forest Plan
2006 Newsletter
Forest Heritage Trail
World Legacy Award
Stewardship Initiative Accomplishments
New England Wilderness Act Is Signed
The Moosalamoo Association welcomes a new designation for the area that took effect when President Bush signed the New England Wilderness Act on December 1st. This legislation establishes the 15,857-acre Moosalamoo National Recreation Area (NRA), providing national recognition for this premier recreation destination that includes many hiking trails, mountain bike trails, world class cross country ski trails, snowmobile trails, the Robert Frost Wayside and camping at Silver Lake and Moosalamoo campgrounds.
Moosalamoo Association President, Tony Clark, said, “We are excited that Congress has passed this important legislation. The National Recreation Area designation highlights the values that the Association has been working toward for the past several years in partnership with the USDA Forest Service. Being designated as a NRA will bring national attention to the region and increase funding opportunities to improve the recreational and educational resources of Moosalamoo."
According to the Green Mountain National Forest Management Plan, the objectives of the new Moosalamoo NRA will be to “provide a showcase for multiple use management of the National Forest System, to provide for outstanding educational and interpretation opportunities in the areas of ecological processes and forest management, to provide for public enjoyment of the area for outdoor recreation and other benefits, and to manage for the other resource values present in the area in a manner that does not impair the public recreation values and other special attributes of the Area.”
Green Mountain National Forest Releases Plan
Moosalamoo Association's Executive Director Joel Flewelling said the following about the release of the plan. "The Moosalamoo Association is excited to have the Moosalamoo Recreation and Education Area designated in the new Forest Plan. This designation highlights the values that the Association has been working toward for the past several years. This designation also brings the region one step closer to being designated as a National Recreation Area (NRA). Being designated as a NRA would bring national attention to the region and increase funding opportunities to improve the recreational and educational resources of Moosalamoo."
Acting Forest Supervisor Gina Owens announced that the Green Mountain National Forest has issued a revised Forest Plan for the management of national forest land in Vermont. Owens said, “The Final Revised Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement are being released today. I believe Regional Forester Randy Moore’s decision to select Alternative E Modified reflects a balanced management approach for the Green Mountain National Forest.”
Regional Forester Moore said that he selected Alternative E Modified “Because I believe it emphasizes benefits that are most important to agencies, groups, and individuals involved in the revision process. Together, we have crafted a Forest Plan that provides a scientifically credible foundation for the contribution of the Forest to the ecological, social, and economic sustainability of Vermont over the long-term.”
He continued, “The revision process has taken over 4 years, and has been the focus of an interdisciplinary team comprised of natural resource specialists and planners. My role, as well as the role of the GMNF Forest Supervisor, has been to guide the process, listen to the public, facilitate the collaboration efforts, ensure the integrity of the analysis, and make important decisions throughout the process, including the final decision.”
The Plan addresses five key issue areas:
Special Designations
• 27,473 acres are identified for Wilderness Study. If designated by Congress, this would be a 46% increase above the current 59,001 acres of Congressionally designated
Wilderness.
• 29,645 acres are identified as special areas (Escarpment, Recreation Special Areas,
Ecological Special Areas, Research Natural Areas, Alpine/subalpine Special Areas, and
the Moosalamoo Recreation and Education Area).
• The updated Roadless Areas Inventory identifies 124,321 acres. The Roadless Area
Conservation Rule acreage for the GMNF was 25,000 acres.
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management
• Increases acres available for enhancement and creation of early successional habitats and upland openings, and the acres available for enhancement and restoration of aspen/birch and oak communities.
• Creates an ecological reference network placing at least 10%, of each ecological type in a management area that provides for the development of old growth. The network is comprised of 177,183 acres or 44% of the Forest.
Recreation Management
• Greater emphasis is placed on non-motorized recreation opportunities.
• Acreage of management areas where summer-use ATV trails could potentially be
located has been reduced and any summer-use ATV trail development will only be
considered where trail network connectivity is required as a part of a larger state-wide
trail network located on other land ownerships.
Timber Management
• 189,616 acres or 47% of the landbase has been classified as suitable for timber
production. Some 73,494 acres of this total were lands acquired since the mid 1980s,
but not allocated pending the revision of the Plan.
• The allowable sale quantity (ASQ) in the revised Plan will be 16.4 MMBF per year. The ASQ in the 1987 Plan was 15.6 MMBF per year. This increase comes in part from the allocation of the newly acquired lands to management areas with lands suitable for
timber production.
The Plan is designed to guide management of the Green Mountain National Forest for the next 10- 15 years. Regular monitoring and evaluation of implementation activities will ensure the Plan will be kept current. Changes in society’s needs and values, along with emerging science, may necessitate amendments to the 2006 Forest Plan.
When making his decision, Moore said, “The 2006 Forest Plan was developed with contributions from many people. I want to take this opportunity to personally thank all of our partners and members of the public who took the time to attend public meetings, or who reviewed and commented on the Draft EIS and Proposed Revised Forest Plan. I would also like to thank those who contributed scientific information and analysis in the species evaluation process.”
Supervisor Owens said, “I appreciate the time and thought that went into the development of these documents – both from my staff and from the people that stuck with us through the planning process and provided thoughtful comments on the draft documents.”
“More than 10,000 comment letters contained 4,000 substantive comments that helped craft the final decision. This decision is the result of the positive and productive relationships that evolved during the planning process and the important contributions from all who participated. Working with people that are passionate about public land management, and willing to roll up their sleeves to reach a decision that is balanced is very fulfilling.”
Moore’s decision to choose Alternative E Modified is documented in a Record of decision, which explains the reasons for his choice. Besides the Record of Decision and the 2006 Land and Resource Management Plan (2006 Forest Plan), the Final Environmental Impact Statement, its appendices and Final Environmental Impact Statement Map Set can be found Wednesday, March 23, 2006, on the Forest’s website http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/gmfl/nepa_planning/plan_revision/feis/feisindex.htm. The Plan will be implemented 30 days after publication in the Federal Register, which is scheduled for March 31, 2006.
Moosalamoo Association's Executive Director Joel Flewelling said the following about the release of the plan. "The Moosalamoo Association is excited to have the Moosalamoo Recreation and Education Area designated in the new Forest Plan. This designation highlights the values that the Association has been working toward for the past several years. This designation also brings the region one step closer to being designated as a National Recreation Area (NRA). Being designated as a NRA would bring national attention to the region and increase funding opportunities to improve the recreational and educational resources of Moosalamoo."
(Click on the link above to download the pdf)
The Vermont Forest Heritage Trail Names the Moosalamoo Region as a Place to See the Forest
The Vermont Forest Heritage Trail is a highway-based, regionally-themed itinerary and driving tour that unifies and connects diverse forest-product-related experiences for visitors and residents alike. Using publications and a website to guide guests, the Trail welcomes folks to visit showrooms and woodworking studios, tour factories and sawmills, or walk through working forests. It is expected that as a result of participating in this initiative, industry members will benefit from visitors personally experiencing how products are crafted and forests are managed. Visitors will become "ambassadors" for the industry who will spread the word about Vermont's value-added wood products. Take a tour of the wood manufacturer's factories and showrooms and see for yourself why "Made in Vermont" resonates in the minds and hearts of visitors.
Moosalamoo Region Named a Finalist in Global Tourism Prize
The Moosalamoo Region was named as a finalist in the 2004 World Legacy Awards at a gala event hosted at the National Geographic Society headquarters by Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan, June 8. The World Legacy Awards, recognizing excellence in environmental, social, and cultural travel, are sponsored by Conservation International and National Geographic Traveler.
A panel of independent judges evaluated applications from across the globe to narrow down the selection to three finalists in each of four categories. Moosalamoo Association, Inc., was recognized in the Destination Stewardship category for demonstrating exemplary protection of their region's natural and cultural heritage. MORE
|
