A Tree Farm is a woodland that is managed to grow forest products, protect important resources and wildlife habitats, while safeguarding our environment.
People worldwide have heated with wood for thousands of years. New Englanders are no exception and have long depended on native forests to provide wood for warmth. But set aside old images of the inefficient fireplace and smoking wood stove. New technology has made wood burning appliances a truly modern way to use this traditional fuel.
The Massachusetts Forest Alliance represents and advocates on behalf of forest landowners, industry professionals, businesses, and others who support a strong, sustainable forest economy in the Commonwealth. MFA works on a variety of policy initiatives, including tax programs, property zoning, modern wood heat, forest management, and many more regulations that affect our membership.
Private and municipal landowners of conserved lands can apply for grant funding to support active habitat management projects that benefit wildlife and enhance outdoor recreation opportunities. MassWildlife’s Habitat Management Grant Program (MHMGP) provides financial assistance for projects that:
| The MFA Annual Meeting will take place on the evening of Thursday, October 24, and will be held at the 1761 Old Mill restaurant in Westminster. Registration and socializing with a cash bar will open at 5 pm, and the meeting will begin at 5:30 pm, and run until 8:15, including a buffet dinner. The meeting has been approved for 2 Mass Forester Licensing credits, and 2 Mass Timber Harvester Licensing credits. SAF and CT Forest Practitioner credits are pending. The keynote speaker for the Annual Meeting will be Ethan Tapper. Ethan is a forester from Vermont who has built a social media presence explaining forestry and forest management, accumulating more than 15,000 followers on Instagram, and thousands more on TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook. Ethan’s short videos are clear and easy to understand, and have educated numerous members of the public on the benefits of forestry. They’re definitely worth checking out, so subscribe to his social media channels today! Ethan has also written a book about his forest management philosophy, called How To Love A Forest. The book explores how managing a forest can be an act of love and compassion for the natural world. How To Love A Forest will be released next month, but you can pre-order a copy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or your favorite local bookstore now. Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the MFA Annual Meeting, and Ethan will be happy to sign them for you. We’ll also hear from Anne Gobi, a former state Senator and current Director of Rural Affairs for the Healey-Driscoll Administration. She will talk about her work to support rural communities. Sustainable forest management and the forest bioeconomy are important sources of employment and economic growth in rural communities in Massachusetts. We’ll also be presenting awards at the Annual Meeting. Ethan Tapper will be recognized with the Friend of Forestry Award for his efforts sharing knowledge, information, and the benefits of sustainable forest management with the public through his book and social media channels. The 2024 Douglas B. Cook Wood Producer of the Year Award will be presented to Peter Rayton. Named for the late Doug Cook, an MFA board member and owner of Cook Forest Products who passed away in 2018, this award recognizes a logger, sawmill operator, or other wood producer. Peter has a wealth of experience, serves on the MFA board, and taught a timber harvesting class at UMass Amherst. He helped popularize the use of Bell three-wheel harvesters here. These machines are suitable for smaller logging jobs, particularly in sensitive areas. Peter is also an avid cross-country skier and coach. The 2024 Howard F. Mason Forester of the Year Award will be presented to Phil Benjamin, CF. This award is named for the late Howard Mason, a legendary forester who worked for the Peck Lumber Company, among others. Phil is a forester in southeastern Massachusetts and is a longtime MFA board member. Phil manages a number of municipal forests, and his cheerful demeanor and ability to clearly explain forest management principles to town officials and others has helped convince the public of the benefits of forestry. The John H. Lambert, Jr. Forest Stewardship Award is MFA’s highest honor. Named for the late Jack Lambert, a past State Forester, it recognizes a lifetime of service to forests and forestry in Massachusetts. This year, it goes to Joe Smith. Over the course of his career, Joe has worked as a service forester, led the Forests & Wood Products Institute at Mt. Wachusett Community College, and started his own company called Woodsman, Inc., which offers consulting forester services for private landowners. Joe is also a talented artist specializing in scratchboard art. The meeting will also include a delicious buffet dinner, legislative and regulatory updates, a short business meeting, and more. Thanks to generous sponsorship from our longtime Annual Meeting sponsor Farm Credit East, accompanied by very generous donations from board members, we’re able to charge just $15 for the Annual Meeting for MFA members, and $30 for non-members. This is well below the actual cost of the event, and board members donated to drive the price down and make the meeting affordable for everyone to (hopefully) increase attendance. Registration is now open and space is limited, so with the very low price we encourage you to register soon. Here’s how the online registration process works – fill out the form and click submit. If you’re registering more than one person, click “Submit Another Response” on the next screen and enter their information. Once you’ve registered all people in your party, move to the payment screen and enter how many people you are paying for. Should you have any issues, contact Chris Egan at cegan@massforestalliance.org or 617-645-1191. Ready to join us for this exciting event? Click here to register online. Or click here to download a paper form to mail it – it must be received in the MFA office by October 21. |
A recent on-the-ground review of Tree Farms in Massachusetts has found that all meet national standards for environmental protection and sustainability.
The Massachusetts Forest Alliance is the leading organization representing forest landowners and industry professionals in Massachusetts. MFA works tirelessly on your behalf to advocate for a strong, sustainable forest economy.
In addition to representing the forest community at the state and local levels, MFA offers educational seminars and continuing education workshops for landowners and industry professionals. Topics often center around forestry practices, regulation, and policy.
Each level of membership receives the following benefits:
Individual/Family/Professional Membership Application
Thank you for your generosity.
Stay tuned for information about our 2018-2019 Annual Fund Campaign!
Please note: The Massachusetts Forest Alliance is a recognized 501(c) (6) not-for-profit advocacy organization. Contributions to the Massachusetts Forest Alliance are not tax-deductible as charitable contributions. For information on how to make a tax-deductible gift, please contact our office.
