Massachusetts Forest Alliance

The Baker-Polito Administration has awarded five grants totaling $2,889,285 to Massachusetts businesses to fund infrastructure projects to increase the availability of low-carbon, renewable heating fuels. The grants, funded by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER), are part of the Renewable Thermal Infrastructure Grant Program, an initiative focused on expanding the availability of renewable thermal technologies in Massachusetts.

Dartmouth College, known as the Big Green, has a new way to live up to its nickname.

In January Dartmouth announced plans to build a new $200 million biomass-fueled central heating system to replace an oil fired heating plant and steam system saving millions of gallons of fuel oil now required to heat more than 110 buildings on its campus annually and substantially reducing the school’s environmental impact.

Forest Health staff from the Department of Conservation and Recreation have completed a survey counting gypsy moth egg masses. Results show that some areas may be in for severe defoliation in 2019. Due to the strong influence of natural conditions and controls, it is difficult to predict gypsy moth impact on a local level, but the egg mass survey gives a rough idea of potential damage we might expect for parts of the state in 2019.