Challenges for Our Future
Just a century ago, Connecticut’s first foresters began to work with forests that had been devastated by overcutting and widespread wildfire. Through the efforts of those foresters and an involved public, substantial headway was made in creating the State Forest system in the 20th Century.
Today, DEEP foresters face many new challenges that threaten the future of a healthy Connecticut forest and a diverse wildlife population. Those 21st Century challenges include:
- Loss of continuous habitat due to neighboring development (fragmentation)
- A lack of new generations of oak (due to deer damage, lack of fire and harvesting practices on private property)
- Loss of conifer habitat due to Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
- A general scarcity of early successional forest or young forest habitat
- Increasing populations of invasive, exotic insects and plants
DEEP confronts these new challenges through an active forest and wildlife management program that is based on the latest research, certifying forestry professionals, educating the public, educating private woodland owners and increasing land acquisition for open space.
The foresters of the DEEP Division of Forestry believe that providing forest products from local forests in a manner that sustains ecological, societal and economic values is part of an ethical responsibility as stewards for the future. "Sustainability" of our forests means not harvesting and utilizing more than we grow. It ensures there will always be a forest to use and enjoy. If not supplied locally, our demand for forest products is transferred to other places around the world where environmentally sound forest practices may not be followed.
Content last updated August 2015