Connecticut

Forest Action Plan

Building a better tomorrow for Connecticut’s forests today

Connecticut’s Forest Resource Assessment and Strategy (Forest Action Plan) is a guidance document for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Division of Forestry, and our forest conservation partners in academia, government, extension, and non-profits, as well as municipal and private landowners.

The Action Plan is used to provide a baseline and identify key forest related issues and priorities in Connecticut. The identified issues include maintaining forest health and biodiversity, promoting public forest stewardship, protecting private forest stewardship, supporting a sustainable forest based economy, providing for forest based recreational opportunities, fostering public awareness and support of forests, the importance of forest research, and the role of urban forestry in Connecticut.

A series of Forest Roundtables attended by 260 participants were held in 2009 and 2010 to provide public input for development of strategies to address these forest issues. Visions, principles, and action steps were created, with strong agreement among stakeholders, and will be utilized in determining Division of Forestry and conservation partner strategies.

Conserving publicly and privately owned forestlands for present and future public benefits

Over 80% of Connecticut’s forestlands are owned by private individuals. Critical to supplying economic, ecological, and quality of life values, many of these privately owned forestlands are under development pressure. In a state where the cost of land ownership is high, incentives are needed to enhance sources of satisfaction derived by landowners; with the intent of ultimately retaining forestlands for both public and private benefits.

Protecting forest ecosystem health and biodiversity in the face of fragmentation, parcelization, and urbanization

Maintaining forest ecosystem health and biodiversity in the face of fragmentation, parcelization, and urbanization fueled by real estate prices and inter-generational transfers is of great concern in Connecticut. The ability of Connecticut’s forests to provide wildlife habitat, clean water, clean air, and economically viable forest products is partially dependent on our ability to maintain sizable tracts of unfragmented forests.

Enhancing the benefits derived from urban forests and the incentives for forest conservation and forest-based recreational opportunities

Connecticut’s forest health and its sustainable forest based economy are threatened from exotic and invasive species. Both the Emerald Ash Borer and the Asian longhorned beetle have been found within 25 miles of Connecticut’s borders, prompting proactive monitoring and planning for potential infestations. Other invasive plant species in our forests are impacting regeneration of native species, and require measures to control.

Best Management Practices

Connecticut’s best management practices (BMPs) program is regulated at the local level, but not the state-level. The agency responsible for BMPs policy development is the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Division of Forestry.

Click here to view the most recent BMPs recommendations on the state forestry agency website.

Click the following links to view available BMP monitoring data and implementation rates from NASF’s 2015 BMP survey and NASF’s 2019 BMP survey.

Forest Action Plan

Building a better tomorrow for Connecticut’s forests today

Conserving publicly and privately owned forestlands for present and future public benefits

Protecting forest ecosystem health and biodiversity in the face of fragmentation, parcelization, and urbanization

Enhancing the benefits derived from urban forests and the incentives for forest conservation and forest-based recreational opportunities

Best Management Practices

Connecticut Forestry Publications

State Management Plans

Connecticut Contact Information