The Extreme Forest Makeover Project-Introduction

In the fall of 2009, the New River-Highlands RC&D Council and the Virginia Department of Forestry kicked off the "Extreme Forest Makeover" project, an innovative forest landowner program, in the New River Valley of Virginia.

Funded by a $111,000 Conservation Innovation Grant from the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, the grant will be matched by in-kind contributions from VDOF and other project partners. The “forest makeover” will occur as participating forest landowners in the New River Valley design and then implement a forest stewardship plan, with assistance from a variety of natural resource professionals.

Sustainably managed forests produce a variety of public benefits—clean air, water, wildlife habitat, recreation, aesthetics and timber. Private landowners can increase their forests’ productivity to produce these benefits through forest stewardship planning and implementation.

Project partners have recruited approximately 35 New River Valley forest landowners to participate in this program. Program participantshave a minimum of 10 acres of forestland, and a strong interest in implementing sustainable forest management activities on their forestland.

In the spring of 2010, project partners will host a series of classroom programs that highlight the principles of forest management and the multiple benefits of sustainably managed forests. Not all of the learning will take place in the classroom, however, in addition to the classroom programs, participating landowners will use the Matthews Sate Forest as a field laboratory to gain valuable hands-on experience. Ultimately, participating forest landowners will implement forest stewardship management projects on their own land, using a combination of project funds; available cost-share funds, and in-kind contributions.”

This is a three-year project, and project partners are hoping the program will increase the acres of sustainably managed forestland in the New River Valley. Although three years is a short time, relative to the life cycle of a forest, it should be long enough to give participants a glimpse of the increased forest productivity that results from sustainable forest management.