Source: UNIV OF CONNECTICUT submitted to
THE FOREST COMPONENT OF RESOURCE BASED PLANNING: INTEGRATING FOREST COVER AND FOREST FRAGMENTATION INTO THE NATIONAL NEMO NETWORK
 
PROJECT DIRECTOR: Dickson, D. W. Arnold, C. L.
 
PERFORMING ORGANIZATION
EXTENSION ADMINISTRATION
UNIV OF CONNECTICUT
STORRS,CT 06269
 
NON TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Nationwide, unplanned development and the associated fragmentation, parcelization, and conversion of the forested landscape is threatening the sustainability of critical forest resources. The purpose of this project is integrate Forest Cover and Forest Fragmentation issues into educational programs for local land use decision-makers.
 
OBJECTIVES: The objective of this project is to develop educational materials for community land use decision makers that integrate the forested landscape into natural resource based planning and to train the member programs of the National NEMO Network in their use. NEMO programs around the country will then be able to modify these materials for use in their state and serve as a catalyst for local change in land use planning approaches to forest lands.
 
APPROACH: The University of Connecticuts Center for Land Use Education and Research, which developed the original Nonpoint Education for municipal officials (NEMO) program and coordinates a National Network of 31 similar programs, will: (a) develop educational materials for land use commissioners and other decision makers that focus on sustaining our forestry resources; (b) train selected NEMO educators from around the country in forest resource related issues and; (c) work with new and existing partners on development of technical tools to enable analysis and visualization of present and future forest lands, and the impact of development on these resources.
 
CRIS NUMBER: 0208265 SUBFILE: CRIS
PROJECT NUMBER: CONS-EXT06-00001 SPONSOR AGENCY: NIFA
PROJECT TYPE: OTHER EXTENSION GRANT PROJECT STATUS: TERMINATED MULTI-STATE PROJECT NUMBER: (N/A)
START DATE: Sep 15, 2006 TERMINATION DATE: Sep 14, 2008

GRANT PROGRAM: RREA-FOCUS FUNDING
GRANT PROGRAM AREA: Renewable Resources Extension Act

CLASSIFICATION
Knowledge Area (KA)Subject (S)Science (F)Objective (G)Percent
112069920606.135%
123069930206.365%

CLASSIFICATION HEADINGS
KA123 - Management and Sustainability of Forest Resources
KA112 - Watershed Protection and Management
S0699 - Trees, forests, and forest products, general
F2060 - Geography
F3020 - Education
G6.1 - Ensure Clean Water and Air
G6.3 - Protect and Manage Forests and Rangelands


RESEARCH EFFORT CATEGORIES
BASIC (N/A)%
APPLIED 100%
DEVELOPMENTAL (N/A)%

KEYWORDS: forest cover; land use; land cover; natural resource based planning; nonpoint education for municipal officials; nemo; national nemo network; forestry; vizualization; forested landscape; water quality; local decision makers; center for land use education and research; clear

PROGRESS: Sep 15, 2006 TO Sep 14, 2008
OUTPUTS: 2007-08: Presentations on the FREMO project were made at the May 2008 Association of Natural Resources Extension Professionals (ANREP) Conference in Madison, WI and the February 2008 USDA Water Quality Conference in RENO, NV. Participated in the 2008 Society of American Foresters Conference and promoted the FREMO project. Additional materials and resources were added to the FREMO Resources page on the National NEMO Network website. A statewide Forest Fragmentation study was added to UConn's Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR) website and shared with the Network as an example of using GIS to demonstrate the impacts of development on forestlands. An article on CLEAR's Forest Fragmentation tool was published in the Summer/Fall 2007 issue of the National NEMO Network Newsletter. 2006-07: A Forest Resource Education for Municipal Officials Workshop was held in Annapolis, MD, September 2007. A sample presentation on Forests in Local Land Use Planning was developed and presented at the workshop. A website and CD-Rom was created that contained forest resource education presentations from the workshop, as well as other pertinent publications and educational materials. A session entitled "The Latest on Land Cover: What does it Tell You About Your Watershed's Health" and featuring information on forests and watershed health was held at NEMO U5, the National Conference of the National NEMO Network, in Middletown, CT, October 2006. A needs & capacity survey was conducted of the members of the National NEMO Network to help guide this project. An article on integrating forest resources into land use education programs was published in the Winter/Spring 2007 edition of the National NEMO Network Newsletter. A presentation on this project was made to the USDA Forests Task Force. PARTICIPANTS: David Dickson, UConn Cooperative Extension Kara Bonsack, UConn Cooperative Extension Chet Arnold, UConn Cooperative Extension Jim Gibbons, UConn Cooperative Extension Thomas Worthley, UConn Cooperative Extension Karen Cappiella, Center for Watershed Protection. TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience for this project is educators of local land use officials. The secondary/eventual target audience is community land use decision-makers throughout the country. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

IMPACT: 2006-09-15 TO 2008-09-14 Twenty-five educators representing NEMO programs in eleven states participated in the Forest Resource Education for Municipal Officials Workshop and gathered resources to help integrate forest resources in their land use education programs. Some of these programs have begun work to adapt these materials to their states. All members of the National NEMO Network have been able to access materials via the National NEMO website on forests and natural resource based planning. The Chesapeake NEMO program developed and has begin presenting a "Forests and Your Community" workshop based on information and materials gathered at the FREMO workshop. Chesapeake NEMO is now working with the City of Cumberland, MD on an effort to preserve and expand the community's urban tree cover. Additional impacts in the form of changes to local land use plans, regulations, and practices are expected but will take more time to develop.

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 2006-09-15 TO 2008-09-14
National NEMO Newsletter Volume 9(1). Winter/Spring 2007

PROJECT CONTACT INFORMATION
NAME: Dickson, D. W.
PHONE: 860-345-5228
FAX: 860-345-3257