Focus on the Focus on the Massachusetts Special Study Massachusetts Special Study

Commission Commission on Financing Forest Conservationon Financing Forest Conservation

James N. LevittJames N. LevittDirector, Program on Conservation Innovation at the Director, Program on Conservation Innovation at the Harvard ForestHarvard Forest

Fellow, Lincoln Institute of Land PolicyFellow, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

LTA Rally 2010, Hartford, ConnecticutLTA Rally 2010, Hartford, Connecticut

October 4, 2010October 4, 2010

The Special Study Commission on Financing The Special Study Commission on Financing Forest Conservation was created by the Forest Conservation was created by the Massachusetts legislatureMassachusetts legislature

• Will meet in 4Will meet in 4thth Quarter of 2010 Quarter of 2010

• Will prepare recommendations for the Will prepare recommendations for the administration, the legislature and the administration, the legislature and the conservation communityconservation community

• Already generating interest in other states, Already generating interest in other states, and among potential philanthropic and among potential philanthropic supporterssupporters

A recently completed study A recently completed study commissioned by the Massachusetts commissioned by the Massachusetts Environmental Trust will serve as our Environmental Trust will serve as our springboardspringboard

The Commission will focus on aggregation, The Commission will focus on aggregation, mitigation and complementarymitigation and complementary strategiesstrategies

• AggregationAggregation: generates a supply of relatively small : generates a supply of relatively small parcels that can be aggregated into a larger package for parcels that can be aggregated into a larger package for funding, stewardshipfunding, stewardship

• MitigationMitigation: a new generation of mitigation practice puts : a new generation of mitigation practice puts emphasis on strategic coordination with wildlife action emphasis on strategic coordination with wildlife action and other statewide plans, and stresses contiguity and and other statewide plans, and stresses contiguity and corridors, enhancing resiliency in the age of climate corridors, enhancing resiliency in the age of climate changechange

• Complementary strategiesComplementary strategies include using state clean include using state clean water revolving fund, facilitating low impact conservation water revolving fund, facilitating low impact conservation development, encouraging forest-based economies and development, encouraging forest-based economies and enterprises, and exploring the use of “optimization” enterprises, and exploring the use of “optimization” techniquestechniques

Questions?Questions?

Thank you.Thank you.