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Duties of Maine's District Foresters Blend Education, Enforcement

November 03, 2007 - As we walked the private woodlot with a private consulting forester, Maine Forest Service District Forester Dennis Brennan made a rapid assessment of how best to control a number of invasive plant species, including Oriental bittersweet and Japanese barberry that had encroached on a good portion of the parcel. Brennan suggested a treatment approach that was cost effective for the landowner and that would reduce the spread of the invasives. It was clear that Dennis is a forester's forester, an expert professional that other professionals look to for consultation and advice.

Indeed, Maine Forest Service district foresters work with landowners, professional loggers, consulting foresters, and others throughout Maine to help answer questions about managing woodlands, preventing disease and pests, and harvesting timber. As we continued our visit, Dennis outlined the many outreach and education roles that he and the nine other district foresters undertake in the normal course of their work: Workshops and financial assistance programs to professional loggers; Small landowner assistance; Best management practice training to protect water quality; Workshops and classes in forest management to small landowners; Technical assistance to tree boards, conservation commissions, planning boards, and code enforcement officers; Outdoor classrooms and education for teachers.

Global Positional System training workshops have become very popular. Each of Maine's 10 district foresters is responsible for a large geographic area that directly supports Maine's $10 billion forest industry and the many public benefits that derive from well managed forestlands.

Dennis is responsible for York County, and he is in great demand. Overall, requests for help from district foresters is increasing due to concerns about invasive species, reports of timber trespass, and requests for assistance in complying with forestry and water quality regulations. On this topic, Brennan took me to an active harvesting operation to explain his work in reviewing compliance with forestry regulations.

Every active forestry operation is required to post on site a copy of the Forest Operations Notification that must be sent to the Maine Forest Service prior to beginning a timber harvest. We found the notification properly posted and walked the site to look at the operation. It had begun to rain, and Brennan explained the importance of laying out and conducting a harvest using Best Management Practices to safeguard against discharging soil into lakes and streams. This operation was well underway and appeared to comply with Maine's Forest Practices Act rules. Brennan and the other district foresters review the Forest Operations Notifications sent to them and try to visit as many active harvest operations as possible. When there are potential problems, they are the professionals who must document any violations, bring enforcement actions, and work with landowners to ensure future compliance.

Clearly, however, the bulk of their efforts are directed at education. Part of Brennan's work supports efforts to have forest land in Maine become "green certified." Forest certification presents an opportunity to distinguish Maine's forest products in the global marketplace and strengthen the state's forest products economy. Forest certification demonstrates that forests are well managed, support healthy wildlife populations, offer recreation opportunities, and supply materials to support Maine's economy. A third-party audit verifies conformance with nationally or internationally recognized certification standards. As we drove to the Maine Forest Service office, we happened upon a landowner who had proudly posted that their land was green certified.

The job of a district forester is complex, requiring a broad array of skills and knowledge regarding soils, forestry, water, wildlife, pests, biodiversity, administration of grants, getting wood to market, and public relations. New regulations require foresters to integrate those requirements into their outreach and education programs. Yet Dennis Brennan enjoys his work thoroughly and thrives on the opportunity to work with people and to bring information about forest stewardship to landowners and the broad array of people who work in the forest products sector. He and the other district foresters are helping landowners and professionals who work in the woods to ensure the health and vitality of Maine's forests for now and into the future.

SOURCE: BANGOR DAILY NEWS

DATE: 10-19-2007


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