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Last week, we had the privilege of touring a remarkable project at Great Mountain Forest (GMF), a 6,200-acre core forest in northwest Connecticut. The project, supported by CLCC’s Climate Smart Land Stewardship Grant Program, is a powerful demonstration of how strategic forest management can address the dual threats of invasive species and climate change. By enhancing the health, diversity, and productivity of its stands, GMF is boosting carbon sequestration and building a model for climate-smart forestry in our state.

SITE 1

SITE 2

Sites 1 & 2: Combating Barberry Invasives

Our first stops showed the dramatic results of invasive species control. In two separate stands, dense, nearly impassable thickets of Japanese barberry had choked out any natural tree regeneration. With grant funding, GMF hired a forestry mulcher to clear these areas, which were previously so thick you couldn’t walk through them. This effort laid the groundwork for a new, diverse forest. The next steps for these sites are to monitor for natural regeneration and plant native species that are better adapted to a warmer, potentially drier climate. This is an excellent example of how land managers can use tools like the USFS Climate Change Tree Atlas to select species with a high likelihood of thriving in Connecticut’s future.

SITE 3

Site 3: Restoring a Diverse Canopy

Our next stop highlighted a different challenge: a forest recovering from a 20-year-old shelterwood harvest, where most trees were removed to make way for new growth. Unfortunately, the new growth was dominated by fast-growing black birch, which outcompeted other species and led to a dense homogenous young forest, strained for resources. This summer, foresters and interns carried out a selective thinning across a 20+ acre area. They identified and thinned out the black birch around other saplings, such as oaks and cherries. All of the cut saplings were left on the forest floor, where they will form a “slash carpet” to protect new growth from deer browse and return valuable nutrients to the soil. As a result, the remaining young trees now have the space and resources they need to thrive, creating a healthier, more diverse, and more resilient forest.

A Model for Climate-Smart Stewardship

This work is made possible in part through our Climate Smart Land Stewardship Grant Program, which helps land trusts increase the number of acres managed using climate-smart stewardship practices. Funding for CLCC’s grant program was paid for by the Climate Smart Farming: Agriculture and Forestry Grant, awarded and administered by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture.

The forest management project at Great Mountain Forest serves as a vital demonstration of climate-smart land stewardship in action. By addressing issues like invasive species and stalled growth, GMF is enhancing the resilience and productivity of its forests. 

GMF and the ~120 land trusts across Connecticut collectively manage more than 200,000 acres of conserved land, a critical component of our nature based climate solutions. By integrating climate mitigation, resilience, and adaptation into our stewardship practices, we can ensure these lands provide even greater benefits, from supporting wildlife and clean water to sequestering carbon and inspiring a new generation of land stewards.