Forest Management Support for Project Planning, Design, Implementation, and Monitoring Forest Structure Composition and Age-Class Diversity for at-risk Wildlife and Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) in Tennessee

Agreement Narrative: Forest management support for project planning, design, implementation, and monitoring forest structure composition and age-class diversity for at-risk wildlife and Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) in Tennessee. 

Primary Funder: Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) 

Location: Cumberland Plateau and East Tennessee

Innovation: RGS & AWS will provide active forest management support for project planning, design, implementation, and monitoring on state, federal, and private lands. Active forest management will be implemented to achieve improve habitat conditions for at-risk wildlife and Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN).

Impact: The project will focus on the following strategies: 1) Coordinate and provide oversight on commercial timber harvests and noncommercial habitat improvements to create young forest habitat, 2) Seek funding to expand partnership opportunities, and to garner new and additional support from partners, 3) Lead the administration of RGS & AWS’s collaborative agreements with the Cherokee National Forest, including the Double G Stewardship Project, selecting contractors, conducting road maintenance, and performing inspections and evaluations, 4) Assist with active forest management project planning, development, and implementation, 5) Outreach to private landowners to recruit for cost-share programs through USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), 6) Prepare NRCS compliant forest management plans for private landowners, 7) Provide technical assistance to private landowners, 8) Assist with state lands projects, including at Catoosa Wildlife Management Area (WMA), North Cumberland WMA, and Lone Mountain State Forest.

Partners and Chapter Contributions: We will collaborate closely with TWRA staff on implementation. Local contractors will be utilized for implementing the treatments on the ground.

A specific logo is not needed to recognize funders or partners.

Deliverables: 

• Targeted 1,159 private forest landowners in Tennessee via a direct mailer as outreach for technical assistance. 
• Led or participated in 2 education and outreach events to promote active forest management and connect with private landowners for technical assistance.
• Provided technical assistance to 20 private forest landowners in Tennessee, including initial field site visits.
• Completed 4 forest management plans across 350 acres for private forest landowners in Tennessee.
• Completed 32.60 acres prescribed burning in partnership with Tennessee Division of Forestry on private forest lands in Tennessee surrounding our DFRB at Lone Mountain State Forest and Catoosa WMA as part of the NFWF grant connected to this TWRA agreement.
• Completed 220 common stand exam plots in the Pond Mountain project area on the North Zone of the Cherokee National Forest to feed into the NEPA planning process.
• Completed 47 acres noncommercial habitat improvements (thinning and gap creation) at the Circle the Wagon project on the North Zone of the Cherokee National Forest.
• Completed 217 acres noncommercial habitat improvements (thinning and gap creation) at the Ocoee Admin Site project on the South Zone of the Cherokee National Forest.
• Successfully sold the Double G Timber Sale via our Double G Stewardship Project with the Cherokee National Forest. The logging contractor completed commercial timber harvests across 15.6  acres of the first cutting unit to create young and open forest habitat.