Issues

The Center advances public policy that supports and invests in sustainable forestry and the development of forest-based economic opportunities in Northern Forest communities. Within this broad spectrum, The Center focuses on policies that are:

As a nonprofit organization with 501(c)3 status from the IRS, the Center does not support or oppose candidates for public office nor engage in partisan activities.

The policy issues that The Center is currently working on include:

  • NBRC Federal Co-chair meets with NY Stakeholders - 01/10/11

    On October 25 and 26, 2010, The Center and New York partners hosted a series of stakeholder meetings in the Adirondack and Tug Hill regions for NBRC federal co-chair Sandy Blitz. The “Northern Forest Conversations,” held with the NY State Tug Hill Commission in Watertown, NY, and with Paul Smith’s College in Paul Smiths, NY, provided a first chance for many New York interests to hear directly from Mr. Blitz about the commission, and an opportunity for him to learn about the economic development opportunities and challenges in that part of the region. Northern Forest Center Program & Policy Director Joe Short also spoke at both sessions about the NBRC and the Northern Forest Investment Zone.
  • 180 Sign Biofuels Policy Letter to USDA - 01/10/11

    This fall, the US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) released and began hosting listening sessions on its national Biofuels Strategy. To follow up on the New Hampshire session, The Center drafted a letter to USDA Secretary Vilsack expressing concern that the policy did not recognize the unique thermal energy generation potential of the Northeast and requesting flexibility in how different regions of the country meet the renewable energy goals set forth in the policy. This letter was subsequently adopted by the Northeast Biomass Thermal Working Group (NEBTWG) as the basis for a regional sign-on letter that garnered over 180 signatures. NEBTWG and Northern Forest Center representatives and partners traveled to Washington, D.C., in November and December to personally deliver the letter to USDA officials.
  • Ecosystem Services Policy & the 2012 Farm Bill - 01/10/11

    A recent meeting of the Coalition for Eastern Forests and Communities brought together people working in the field of ecosystem services from across the eastern U.S. to discuss how the Farm Bill and other federal policies can create incentives for ecosystem services such as filtering water and carbon sequestration. Northern Forest Center Program & Policy Director Joe Short developed and facilitated the ecosystem services track at the meeting.

    Al Todd from the USDA Office of Environmental Markets spoke to the group, which over the course of two days developed a preliminary set of ideas for policy in the Farm Bill related to ecosystem services.