Woodlands Partnership

Thursday, February 29, 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm
Via Remote Participation
A meeting of the Park Commission

Woodlands Partnership of Northwest Massachusetts*

Board Meeting – February 29, 2024 (virtual)

A Natural Resource Based Economic Development and Forest Conservation Project

Date: Thursday, February 29, 2024 Time: 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Location: Zoom

Members of the public are welcome at this virtual meeting. Please RSVP for the link by emailing kconlin@newenglandforestry.org

Attendees: Woodlands Partnership (WP) Board Members and Public

Project Staff: B. O’Connor – EOEEA; L. Hayden – Administrative Agent/NEFF; K. Conlin – Coord./NEFF

Guest Speaker(s): Lois Bruinooge – Executive Director of The Last Green Valley; Erik Kreusch, National Heritage Areas, Regional Coordinator, Northeast Regional Office, National Park Service

The Woodlands Partnership is currently engaged in editing its Land Acknowledgement in conjunction with the formation of a working group on Indigenous rights and the role the Partnership might play in addressing ongoing injustice and furthering equity.

Agenda Items	Estimated Time	Key Person(s)
Call to order and Land Acknowledgement	6:00 p.m.	D. Crane – Board Chair K. Conlin – NEFF/Coord.
Roll Call Attendance of Board & Guests *Reminder: Board member (semi)annual training certificates	6:02 p.m.	K. Conlin – NEFF/Coord.
Review and approval of June 20, 2023 and November 15, 2023 Board Minutes ^	6:07 p.m.	A. Peteroy – Board Clerk
Guest Speakers on National Heritage Areas Program: Erik Kreusch, National Park Service Lois Bruinooge, Executive Director of The Last Green Valley Questions and Discussion	6:10 – 6:35	L. Hayden – NEFF/Agent E. Kreusch – NPS L. Bruinooge – LGV
Board discussion and vote: Authorization for Agent staff to pursue National Heritage Area Designation and research best strategy for completing required Feasibility Study ^	6:35 – 6:45	D. Crane – Board Chair K. Conlin – NEFF/Cood. L. Hayden, NEFF/Agent
Funding for Forest Center Next Step: Space Needs Study – Board discussion and vote: Identifying consultant ^	6:45 – 7:00	L. Hayden – NEFF/Agent A. Shapiro – NRBED Chair
Chair Update: Forests as Climate Solutions study and policy; Climate Chief meeting; “Climate, Forests, and Innovations Forum” at UMass Amherst	7:30 p.m.	D. Crane – Board Chair Agent staff
Agent Update: EOEEA contract; Name change bill; Website (WP and VFC); CDS; Landowner Goals Series/woods walks; Friends of Conte Look Book	7:40 p.m.	L. Hayden – NEFF/Agent
Committee Chairs and Working Group updates Education, Outreach, & Research Finance & Budgeting Forest Conservation Municipal Financial Sustainability Natural Resource Based Economic Development Building Relationships with Indigenous Peoples	7:00 – 7:30 (~5 minutes each)	M. Chichester – Com. Chair J. Nowak – Com. Chair A. Peteroy – Com. Chair S. Haupt – Com. Chair A. Shapiro – Com. Chair D. Crane – WP Chair
Any item(s) not anticipated within 48 hours	7:50 p.m.	D. Crane – Board Chair L. Hayden – NEFF/ Agent
Public Comment	7:50 8:00 p.m.
Adjournment	8:00 p.m.	D. Crane – Board Chair

^- Action Required

Please contact the facilitator (978-952-6856 x131) with any requests for accessibility.

Posted: Donna Butzke-02/20/2024-10:00am

Filed: Town Clerk-02/20/2024

*On Oct. 11, 2022, the Board of the public body created in 2018 voted unanimously to change its name from the “Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership” in its bylaws to operating as the “Woodlands Partnership of Northwest Massachusetts” and requested the state legislature and USDA Forest Service to officially establish and recognize the new

Town of

Rowe

Woodlands Partnership

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