Graduate Project

 

Analyzing a collaborative approach to forest management planning on the Evitts Creek Water Company Property in Bedford County, Pennsylvania Public Deposited

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https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/graduate_projects/9g54xp59t

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  • Forest management planning is critical for the sustainability of natural systems on a site. Managing public ground is a complicated process, and usually involves many stakeholders with a variety of opinions. One such public property is the Evitts Creek Water Company (ECWC) property, owned by the city of Cumberland, Maryland. The primary objective for the ECWC property is to provide clean drinking water for the city and surrounding area, but achieving this goal and planning for the future should be a careful process. In order to sustainably manage the ECWC property, a small focus group containing members of a variety of agencies was formed to create a sustainable forest management plan. This case study examined the effectiveness of using a collaborative effort to create a sustainable forest management plan for the property. The group consisted of partners from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), The Nature Conservancy, The City of Cumberland, Allegany College of Maryland, and the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. Personal experience of a member of the ECWC focus group showed that the barriers for success on this project were a lack of committed group members and unclear expectations for those involved. Additionally, strict but realistic deadlines would have contributed to the successful completion of the plan. Forest certification through the Forest Stewardship Council was a driving factor for deadlines, and its benefit makes the additional planning worthwhile because becoming certified will allow the ECWC property to be recognized for its sustainable forest management. Investigating management on other public lands led to a set of recommendations for increasing collaboration, justifying certification, and improving the planning process on the ECWC property. These recommendations will be shared with the ECWC planning group in order to improve future planning efforts.
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