For Release: October 15, 1999

Contact: Gail Mastrati 222-4700 ext. 2402

PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management and the Rhode Island Rural Lands Coalition will host a free workshop Saturday, October 30 to show forest landowners new ways to generate revenue from their forests. The Alternative Forest-Based Business Workshop will be held from 8:30 a.m. to noon, rain or shine, at Browning Mill Pond in Exeter, which is part of the state's forested Arcadia Management Area, in the heart of the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed. This workshop will be held outdoors, and attendees should dress accordingly.

Participants will gain information on assessing their forestland, learn business skills, and see demonstrations of several specialty forest products, such as maple syrup, shiitake mushrooms, witch hazel, and rustic furniture.

To reserve a place at the workshop, call DEM at 222-3434, ext. 7134, by October 22. Those unable to attend can call for a copy of the workshop materials.

The Alternative Forest-Based Business Workshop is part of an ongoing project by DEM, the Rural Lands Coalition, and forest landowners to promote cottage-industry forest uses for small forest parcels.

Although small-forest and wood-related businesses contribute over $120 million a year to the state's economy, management for traditional wood-based forest products is difficult in Rhode Island because of small parcel sizes. More than 80 percent of privately owned forestland is in parcels of less than 10 acres, too small to be eligible for tax benefits under the state's Farm, Forest and Open Space law, or for protection via title or conservation easement purchase under the Forest Legacy program. Those parcels face the same development pressures as agriculture and are of vital significance to the economy, as well as for the protection of for green space and wildlife habitats.

The project is assessing alternative forest uses that have the potential to generate enough income to pay property taxes and to foster economic activities that are consistent with rural character and lifestyle. It is being coordinated by DEM's Office of Strategic Planning and Policy, as part of a $30,000 grant from the US Forest Service. Areas of focus include:

• Edible products, such as honey, maple syrup, mushrooms, nuts, and berries
• Medicinal products, such as ginseng and witch hazel
• Floral products, such as floral greens, ferns, mosses, and native plants
• Specialty wood products, such as charcoal, and material for woodworking
• Fee-based active and passive recreation on private forestlands

The RI Rural Lands Coalition works to ensure the future protection and preservation of Rhode Island's farms, forests, and open spaces by promoting issues such as wise land use, water supply protection, current use land taxation, and support of locally grown products. Coordinated by the Southern Rhode Island Conservation District, the Rural Lands Coalition consists of more than two dozen partners including non-profit organizations, universities, and local, state, and federal government agencies.