Sustainable Farms and Forests

SAVE THIS DATE
Thursday May 25th, 2006
for a
Green Infrastructure Forum
on
Sustainable Farms and Forests

Dear Colleagues,

On Thursday May 25, 2006 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., there will be a Green Infrastructure Forum featuring NPS Superintendent Rolf Diamant of Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park in Woodstock, Vermont. Also presenting will be Russell Thompson and David Webster, Resource Managers at Sugarloaf Mountain in Frederick County, Maryland. This forum, which is sponsored by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) Community Forestry Network and the Greater Washington National Parks of the National Park Service (NPS), will be held at 777 North Capitol Street, N.E., Suite 300 Washington, D.C. in the Council Board Room.

This event is one of a series of Green Infrastructure Forums and Workshops designed to discuss park, forest cover, open space and recreation land management approaches within the metropolitan Washington region. The Agenda for this forum will be as follows:

A brief status report on the "Metropolitan Washington Green Infrastructure Project"
A presentation on a regional sustainable forestry management
Remarks by Rolf Diamant on Sustainable Forests and Farms: Re-setting the Table with Place-Based Products for Healthy Landscapes and People
Questions and discussion

Presentation Background

The Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park is a storied landscape illustrating the history of conservation and the emergence of a land stewardship ethic. In continuing the stewardship of one of the country’s oldest sustainably managed forests, this National Park has a distinctive operational mandate and with national significance. The forest includes softwood stands of Hemlock, White Pine, Red Pine, European larch, Norway spruce, and Scotch pine that vary in age from 40-years to over 100-years old. In 2005, Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park received Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for its forest and became the first national park or national forest to be FSC certified in the United States.

National Park Superintendent Rolf Diamant will explore the relationship of “authenticity” and “sustainability” to local products, including food, that is sold in parks and related public institutions. He will discuss opportunities for public agencies, as institutional consumers, to better align their procurement practices with their organizational values related to sustainable practices and products that have a clear association to place, craftsmanship, public health and stewardship. As a case study he will discuss the forest of Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, in Woodstock, Vermont - one of the country’s oldest sustainably managed woodlands. Recently awarded Forest Stewardship Council certification for its forest management practices, Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller became the first national park or national forest to be "green" certified in the United States. Hopefully, this will also spark a conversation on the use of credible, independent evaluation, in particular, the role of certification systems in expanding consumer choice, encouraging sustainable practices, and guaranteeing greater transparency.
Sugarloaf Mountain in Frederick County is a designated a National Natural Landmark because of its geological interest and striking beauty where it overlooks the Monocacy River Valley and the Appalachian’s beyond. The mountain is home to several hundred acres of forestland, more than 500 species of plants and a variety of wildflowers that is managed by a non-profit corporation – Stronghold, Incorporated, organized in 1946 by the late Gordon Strong. Stronghold owns and operates the mountain property for the public's "enjoyment and education in an appreciation of natural beauty." Funds for maintenance and improvement come from a modest trust fund, from membership dues, and from gifts and bequests from those who are interested in preserving it.
Sustainable timber management is a priority for Stronghold. Periodic timber harvests are conducted on the property to sustain the foundation and for forest health. Gypsy Moth, Oak Decline, tropical storms and invasive species are all serious management concerns that this resource endures. Russell Thompson, Park Manager and David Webster, Park Foundation Manager will come to share their many years of collective experience in maintaining this wonderful regional resource. http://www.sugarloafmd.com/index.html
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TO ATTEND:

To attend this forum, please respond to this e-mail message at: glenn_eugster@nps.gov or blecouteur@mwcog.org or send a note by telefax to (202) 619-7220 or (202) 962-3203. By telephone call Glenn Eugster at (202) 619-7492 or Brian LeCouteur at (202) 962-3393. Please respond by no later than Wednesday May 24th, 2006.

I hope you and your staff can join us.

Glenn

J. Glenn Eugster
Assistant Regional Director,
Partnerships Office
National Park Service
National Capital Region
1100 Ohio Drive, SW, Room 350
Washington, DC 20242
(202)619-7492 phone
(202)619-7220 fax
E-mail: glenn_eugster@nps.gov