Brief Project Description:
In February 2024, the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (FPR) released the Vermont Forest Future Strategic Roadmap. A forward-looking plan, the Roadmap evaluates how the forest products sector and greater forest economy can thrive in Vermont. Created by FPR at the request of the General Assembly, the Roadmap assesses the current state of the forest products sector in Vermont, and identifies ways to strengthen, modernize, promote, and protect its long-term viability. The plan also emphasizes the importance of intact, healthy, and sustainably managed working forests to enhance forest benefits and support a diverse array of climate-smart, high-quality products for the future. A broad coalition of actors came together to develop the Roadmap, and this partnership is continuing as the Roadmap moves towards implementation. The Roadmap was commissioned by the legislature as the Forest Product Industry and our forests in general were facing unprecedented challenges from climate change, shifting public perceptions about how forests would be used, workforce issues, significant fluctuations in demand for forest products, and many new threats to forests from invasive species, pests, and pathogens. The roadmap has identified 30 actions to address these challenges, including nine high-priority short-term actions, and an Implementation Steering Committee has formed to collaborate on implementing these actions and achieving tangible results for our forests, forest economy, and VT communities that depend on forests. This presentation / poster will provide an update on roadmap implementation, define current priorities and partnerships, and explain how to get involved.
Poster:
Fact Sheet Presentation Other Q&A
Presenter: Katharine Servidio, Vermont Department of Forests: Parks and Recreation and Oliver Pierson, Vermont Department of Forests: Parks and Recreation
Contact: Katharine Servidio, Vermont Department of Forests: Parks and Recreation, katharine.servidio@vermont.gov; Oliver Pierson, Vermont Department of Forests: Parks and Recreation, oliver.pierson@vermont.gov