Blackmer Magic

Steve Blackmer, founder of the Northern Forest Center.

Millions of acres of private forestland in the Northern Forest are being sold — 7 million acres in the past seven years in Maine alone. Working-forest easements are not protecting the full range of values many people want preserved. One alternative that has been suggested is to create a national park there. How does that fit into the mix of actions you think should be undertaken?    — James St. Pierre, Hallowell, Maine

I agree there remains a need for large-scale, permanent protection of wilderness and ecosystems that cannot be achieved through working-forest easements. I’m not persuaded that a national park is the best way to achieve that. I do believe there is a role for state and federal public lands, but people across the Northern Forest — from the Adirondacks to Maine — have rejected national parks for decades. I think we can find other ways to address this need that are more responsive to local people while still protecting the landscape.

What is your opinion of the proposed development in the Moosehead Lake region in Maine? Plum Creek is proposing a huge development project that some people view as a savior to that region’s depressed economy. I would hate to see that area become another tourist attraction.    — Melissa Morrill, Windsor, Maine

For better or worse, the Moosehead region has been a tourist attraction for well about 150 years, and it will continue to be one. The challenge is to channel further development to areas where it will have the least possible impact on the landscape and the greatest possible benefit to the local economy. I’m not a planner, but what I do know suggests that compact, walkable communities are the most attractive, efficient, and livable, and they contribute most to the local economy.

One of my concerns about the Plum Creek proposal is that it spreads both second-home and resort development much more widely over the landscape than is currently the case. I’m interested in seeing development pulled closer to Greenville where it can benefit and mesh with the current community rather than creating separate new communities that will compete with the established towns.

I also am concerned about the long-range social impact of having communities with lots of well-to-do second-home owners and permanent residents who largely serve them. I’d hope we can develop economic options that provide alternatives to large-scale real-estate development as a major part of the economy. Real-estate development by itself will not create a sustainable economy or community.

Do you reach out to the planning community?    — Glee Murray, Washington, D.C.

Yes, we work quite closely with a number of local planning organizations. I think the perspective and experience of planners is essential.

What do we know about the presence of gray wolves in southeastern Quebec and northern New England?    — Mark Stephen Caponigro, New York, N.Y.

There certainly are wolves in Quebec, especially north of the St. Lawrence River. Some are known to have crossed the river and entered northern Maine and possibly northern New Hampshire. I don’t know about New Brunswick but wouldn’t be surprised if they are there or at least pass through. As far as I know, there are no substantial or permanent populations south of the St. Lawrence. What I hear most often from human residents is that they don’t want wolves introduced by the government but that they would love to have them return on their own. I know I would.

What kind of forest products do you expect to promote through developing your sustainable community plan? Is there an expectation to return to a pulp-based economy, or is there a preference to move to sawtimber through sustainable forestry? Is there integration of non-wood forest products, such as deer, moose, berry and mushroom picking, etc.?    — Artem Treyger, Syracuse, N.Y.

In some areas, notably Maine and adjacent New Brunswick, pulp and paper are going to remain a significant part of the economy and landscape for the foreseeable future. But many landowners increasingly are trying to grow high-value sawtimber — a very long-term enterprise. Because of the way many forests have been treated in the past, there are huge volumes of “low-grade” wood that aren’t suitable for sawlogs. Much of this wood likely will go to uses such as pulp and biomass energy. We continue to need markets to sell this lower-quality wood in order to have the opportunity to grow more high-value sawtimber. And as we are growing these trees, we need to avoid the widespread, destructive harvesting that has happened here, and in other places, in the past. Fortunately, we’ve seen a lot of improvement in most landowners’ forest management practices over the past decade. Not that there aren’t still some bad actors!

Non-timber forest products are certainly important. Currently, they tend not to produce as much income for local workers, landowners, and communities, but they are often a critical part of the local culture and land use.

Looking back, what’s the first thing you did as an environmentalist? Did it make a difference?    — Michele Angers, Woodstock, Vt.

When I was a kid, we used to ice-skate in a nearby wetland — through the marshland, up a little stream, and onto a small pond where we played hockey. When I was in sixth grade (about 1966), we heard that the town was going to fill the wetland to put in a road. I organized a group of kids to write letters to the local newspaper protesting the filling of the wetland. Did we have any impact? Who knows? But the pond and wetland are still there.

What can I do, right here, right now, to make a positive impact?    — J. Keni, Rapid City, S.D.

Find something local that you care about. It doesn’t matter how big it is. Take a first step. Just begin.

The Lorax is one of my heroes; you are sort of like him. As an educator and lifelong learner, I know we have much to learn from others and from our world. What key ideas can we learn from the trees?    — Charlie Manske, Stevens Point, Wis.

Be patient. Know the ground you stand in. Breathe the air, feel the wind, soak up the sun.