MassWildlife’s 10 Year Pine Barrens Restoration Plan for Myles Standish? Intensive Management: more logging and burning to come.

– Does the science support intensive management to protect the Pine Barrens forests? Are all species being considered in this plan? How much logging is planned between MassWildife, DCR, and NHESP?

– Are you interested in the long term health of the Pine Barrens, including alternatives to forest preservation that don’t include logging and burning?

– Come with CLWC to the next Public Hearing at MassWildlife!

– Sign our Petition to help protect the Pine Barrens.

Details Here:

• Who: Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildife (MassWildlife)
• What: Monthly Board Meeting for MassWildlife
• When: Wednesday, January 21, 2:00 pm, In Person
• Where: MassWildlife Field Headquarters, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA 01581
• Why: The state advocates for intensive “forest management” practices, including logging and burning, to keep the Pine Barrens healthy. Does the science support this? How many acres of the Pine Barrens have the allowed to be cut and burned? How many “take” permits has Natural Heritage and Endangered Species given out? Attend and ask questions! More information below.

Supporting Documents

1. Myles Standish Complex Ten Year Pine Barrens Restoration
   1. Myles Standish SF 10 yr Restoration Proposal
2. Forest Cutting Plan – cutting scheduled to begin November 1, 2025
   1. Myles Standish Complex FCP signed by service forester
3. Myles Standish State Forest Restoration & Fuels Reduction Project
   1. D8 Myles Standish SF restoration & fuels reduction 2025 Project_ADA (1)

What to Ask at a Public Meeting:

• Where is the letter from the Scientific Advisory Council that says they evaluated and approved this project?
• Where is the study of the carbon outcomes, comparing alternative management scenarios, including leaving the area alone?
• Where is the study proving an improved outcome for rare or endangered species from these management practices? Show us a before and after comparison of rare and endangered species populations on the other forest restorations you have completed for the “10 year restoration proposal.” Are you conducting an in-depth study this for this one?
• Does this project require a MEPA review?
• Is this about fire prevention? If so please provide us with your plan for all fire hardening any buildings that you have deemed will be at risk with any fires, including prescribed burns that get out of control.
• What is the emergency plan if a prescribed fire gets out of control? Who will respond? How much might that cost?

Please send in written comments by January 5:

• Please send in a letter opposing the heavy-handed human management of our forests. Public Comments will be accepted using the following form linked here:  www.mass.gov/forms/dcr-public-comments . Public Comments will be accepted until 5PM January 5.
• Here is a sample letter to send in to DCR about the proposed cutting and burning plan at Myles Standish State Forest:

• Southeast Pine Barrens Wildlife Management Area, Maple Springs Wildlife Management Area, Red Brook Wildlife Management Area, Rocky Gutter Wildlife Management Area, Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area, Hockomock Swamp Wildlife Management Area, Camp Cahcalot, and Myles Standish State Forest. 

Take Action:

• Sign Our Petition to Prevent More Logging and Burning in Myles Standish State Forest
• Help get permanent protection for Myles Standish State Forest and other states lands.
  • Please contact your state representative and senator and ask them to co-sponsor the H1048, H052 and H053.  The ask is simple: ” Please co-sponsor these bills, which would protect our state-owned lands as permanent reserves, with similar protection to that of our National Parks.” These bills would protect 412,000 acres of our land from logging, burning and herbicide application  More information here https://www.savemassforests.com/

Learn More

• On Ocgtober 3, 2025, Community Land and Water Coalition, Save Mass Forests, and RESTORE! The North Woods held an educational conference: Forest Fires in Massachusetts, Myths and Realities.
• Watch the presentations by forest and conservation experts, as they explain natural forest cycles and pre-colonial forest conditions in Massachusetts.

Listen to the information presented, and ask yourself:

• Does DCR justify the scope and scale of burning and logging on our public lands?
• Does controlled burning have public safety benefits or are there other ways to protect the public from fires?
• Who is measuring the before and after benefits to ecosystems and wildlife? Does logging and burning hundreds of acres to benefit a single species such as the Eastern Cottontail Rabbit or a single bird species justify the unknown impacts to the entire ecosystem?