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In this issue Working Forests Small Business Sustainability Our New Brand P A R T N E R S H I P S F O R S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y S U M M E R 2 0 1 5 Turning the Tide on the Green Crab Invasion When I arrived at Manomet in 1986 as a freshly-minted Ph.D. I was so excited to bring my skills to bear helping Trevor Lloyd-Evans unravel the mystery of continent- scale declines in migrant birds. I had landed my very first job at Manomet Bird Observatory. Manomets reputation in bird conservation was and remains renowned. As an ornithologist I was ecstatic. But three decades later the problems we were tackling then seem simple by comparison. In 2015 we understand there is a much more complex problem at playliving sustainably in a world with finite resources. If humans keep doing what were doing we will likely heat up the earth 4C by the end of this century. What will become of our 30 years of investment in the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network if 60 of the 93 sites are underwater by 2100 The problem is bigger than birds. Much bigger. Humans cant affordeconomically socially or environmentallyto continue on this trajectory. Neither for our own well-being nor for the richness of life on earth. To take on a challenge this big most people will need to be a part of the solution. The central goal then becomes how do you engage most everyone At Manomet we believe our promise to society must rise to this challenge of engaging many more people. And here is some very good news. Over the last two decades weve worked across industry sectors and with people at every staff level. The one thing weve learned is that most people want a thriving future and want to be a part of the solution. But most dont act because they feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of the problem. After dealing with the demands of day-to-day life its hard to figure out where or how to start. People feel insignificant. And yet they are anything but. Youve witnessed Manomet develop great skill at connecting with society especially businesses in finding creative practical ways to take on challenges as big as climate change and sustainability. Manomet makes it easy for people to be a part of the solution. People become hopeful. They see that they matter. How Manomet engages people changes the game. And we know giving people a sense of hopeand an understanding that they matteris the key to getting everyone involved. While Manomet has evolved in its work our branding logo and language have not kept pace. Our programs are cutting-edge but we have been using language that describes us from the early 1990s. We decided to refresh our logo and language to more accurately reflect our current portfolio of work and our method for delivering on our promise to you and to society. We will continue to do the same solid science weve always done. I remain a passionate science-driven field biologistalbeit one recently admonished for my green crab experiments in the basement at home. But unless we engage a lot more people in putting science to good use we simply will not have a chance at solving the tsunami gathering on the horizon. Our new branding has been unifying and energizing for both staff and board. I hope it does the same for you. The new logo and tagline are bold even courageous The results convey an organization that is fresh modern energetic optimistic confident and moving boldly forward into the 21st century. We believe people can live and work today in ways that enable our world to thrive and prosper tomorrow. This is humanitys challenge. I hope youre up for it because we are. So lets go to work Sincerely John M. Hagan Ph.D. President Manomet Soaring Solutions. Grounded Science. Partnerships for Sustainability is published by Manomet Inc. Correspondence may be sent to Editor Partnerships for Sustainability P.O. Box 1770 Manomet MA 02345 508-224-6521 Maine Office 14 Maine Street Suite 305 Brunswick ME 04011 207-721-9040 www.manomet.org 2015 Manomet Inc. All rights reserved. SFIFPO Printed in USA using soy- based inks on SFI-certified recycled paper containing post- consumer fiber. 3 Turning the Tide on the Green Crab Invasion 12 Small Business Sustainability 7 Working Forests C O N T E N T S A Letter from the President An aerial shot of the soft-shell clam farm in Georgetown Maine. This farm is the first of its kind in Maine. Turning the Tide on the Green Crab Invasion By Liza LePage Is it possible to sustainably manage natural resources among a group of people Game theory argues that humans rational self-interest will always turn management of a common pool resource into a tragedy. But weve also heard stories of communities successfully managing everything from lobsters to forests. How we can best manage our worlds natural resources will always be debated. But as climate change continues to affect the resources we rely on even the oldest management traditions will be challenged. An example of such a challenge exists in the mudflats that trace Maines winding coastline. Soft-shell clams Mya arenia Maines third most profitable fishery have been managed as an open-access resource for centuries. The industry which employs approximately 1600 licensed harvesters and grosses 15 million annually from landings alone utilizes some of the best practices for managing a common pool resource. This management approach is outlined in Elinor Ostroms Nobel prize-winning theoryGoverning the Commons.1 A key tenet of Ostroms framework that the industry follows is harvesters taking part in setting limitations based on their local knowl- edge of the resource. Yet despite local town-level management efforts Maines soft-shell clam fishery has recently taken a turn for the worse. Over the course of three years the town of Brunswick which has some of Maines most productive clam flats had to drop 26 of its 68 clamming licenses as harvestable populations dropped 38.2 Officials from the town reported that the decline is a direct result of the green crab invasion.3 While local acidification and pollution can stress soft-shell clam growth most see the European green crabs Carcina maenas as the biggest threat to the industry. The crabs as their name implies are native to Europe but were introduced to New England in the early 1800s from the ballast water of cargo ships. They have been crawling up and down the Eastern Seaboard ever since and were first documented on Maines coastline in the early 1900s. Green crabs are invasive and resilient creatures they are omnivores and eat almost anything can live in a variety of habitatswithstanding wide ranges of temperature and salin- ityand female crabs can spawn up to 185000 eggs at a time twice a year.4 They have even been reported to survive for ten days out of water in the heat of summer. The crabs are seem- ingly unstoppableand they are feasting on soft-shell clams. Soft-shell clams are very attractive morsels for the crabs as the brittle clam shells are easy to flake off and the clams have no way to defend themselves. In the laboratory green crabs have been seen to prey on adult clams while they seem to target juveniles in the wild. This is problematic because flats are now unable to naturally regenerate as the bigger clams are being harvested and small clams are being devoured by green crabs. In 2013 Chad Coffin a shellfish harvester from Freeport Maine told a local news station that because of the green crab problem Were only maybe two years away from really no commercial viability in the state on soft-shell clams which has been historically and traditionally one of the most important and economically valuable resources on the coast of Maine.5 So if these crabs have been around since the 1880swhy are we just starting to hear about them Because cold winter waters used to kill off most of the green crabs and kept their populations in check. But now the Gulf of Maine is heating up faster than 99 of the worlds oceans allowing the green crab population to grow rapidly. This is just one of the indirect effects of global climate change that is already radically impacting the resources we rely on. But these crabs are native to Europewhy dont we just ask Europeans how they handle the problem Green crabs are not as big of a problem in Europe because they have another native species a parasitic barnacle which is known to castrate green crabs. While the barnacles keep the green crab population in check no one is really looking to bring another potentially harmful species to the region.6 Wait. Humans eat crabs. Why arent people harvesting green crabs for food to control their populations Entrepreneurs have explored using green crabs as food flavoring fertilizer and even cat food but no real economi- cally feasible options have emerged. The amount of meat in each green crab is so small that the return on investment is not sufficient to create a viable market. Compared to other fisher- ies harvesters would lose money if they focused on harvesting green crabs. Communities have also tried to take matters into their own hands by trapping out green crabs in their local inlets but it is nearly impossible to catch the pests fast enough to keep up with their reproduction. 1 Ostrom E. 2002. GOVERNING THE COMMONS The evolution of institutions for collective action. Retrieved from httplawschool.unm.edunrjvolumes32206_ostrom_governing.pdf 2 Royte E. 2014 October. Clawing Their Way to the Top. OnEarth Magazine. Retrieved from http archive.onearth.orgarticles201410could-invasive-crabs-scuttle-maines-softshell-clam-fishery 3 Mistler S. 2014 January 22. Maine clam diggers worm harvesters square off over mud flats. Portland Press Herald. httpwww.pressherald.com20140122maine_worm_and_clam_dig- gers_argue_over_bill_to_close_off_mudflats_ 4 Beale B. 2013. Green Crabs Ecology and Their Effects on Soft-shell Clams. Powerpoint slides. Retrieved from httpseagrant.umaine.edugreen-crab-summit 5 Wight P. B. 2013 August 28. Voracious Invasive Crab Threatening Maines Shellfish Industry. Maine Public Broadcasting Network. Retrieved from httpwww.mpbn.netHometabid36ctlViewItem mid5347ItemId29698Default.aspx 6 Gallessich G. 2013. Researchers Find Invasive Species are Healthy Species-They Leave Their Parasites Behind. The UC Santa Barbara Current. Retrieved from httpwww.ia.ucsb.edupadis- play.aspxpkey761 Manomet President John Hagan measures a green crab. He is conducting an ongoing study on green crab population dynamics around the clam farm site. 4 Manomet Partnerships for Sustainability Summer 2015 The Solution Hope is spreading along Maines mudflats for a lasting soft- shell success story. Chris Warner a shellfish harvester from Bath Maine teamed up with Manomet last summer to cre- ate Maines first commercial-sized soft-shell clam farm in Georgetown Maine. Outside of Maine shellfish harvesters are growing soft-shell clams alongside quahogs and oysters as a part of diversified aquaculture schemes but no private soft-shell aquaculture exists in Maine. While local Shellfish Committees lead annual restoration projects by reseeding barren flats and covering the seeded area with protective netting no one in Maine has ever tried to use this technique to make a living off of maintain- ing and running their own soft-shell clam farm. Warner with Manomets scientific help is trying to do just that. Warner who has been harvesting clams for his entire adult life believes that farming is the only way clammers will be able to beat the green crab problem and secure stable income for themselves now and for generations to come. According to Warner clam farming takes green crabs out of the equation. By planting baby seed clams in previously unpro- ductive flats and protecting them with nets you are ensuring a future harvest but also helping to regenerate the natural supply of clams to the region. The seeded clams grow up to be reproducing adults that provide more planktonic larvae to the ecosystem. Unlike other kinds of aquaculture soft-shell clam farms are green. No chemicals antibiotics or food need be applied in order for the clams to growthe natural ocean takes care of everything. Warner was working on his own small-scale operation in a conservation closure in Georgetown Maine when Manomet President John Hagan first saw Warners idea in action. Hagan who was immediately struck by the potential for this method to restore a declining fishery asked WarnerHave you ever thought about scaling up to a commercial farm Of course Warner had. The Partnership Trust between Warner and Manomet bloomed quickly and soon the commercial-scale project was underway. Manomet cares about the future and thats what I care about explained Warner. I care about jobs and keeping our children in these communities and from the beginning I could tell that Manomet was right on board with that. Manomet has a long history of fisheries work and is cur- rently coordinating the Downeast Fisheries Partnership a collaborative group of organizations and individuals who are working together to ensure that the people in eastern Maine can continue fishing forever. The Gulf of Maine used to be home to scores of wild fisheries but is now dominated by only one lobster. The Partnership hopes to restore the regions historic ground fisheries and keep dwindling fisheries like the soft-shell clam thriving. Manomet Partnerships for Sustainability Summer 2015 5 As soon as I heard about Chris farm idea I knew right away that it was something Manomet could help test said Hagan.We believe that the fishermen have the knowledge to help move their industry forward if they are given the opportu- nity to act. Chris had an idea that was grounded in his experi- ence in the mud. We want to help him restore this important natural resource by bringing our scientific expertise to bear. From the beginning the goal of the farm was to create a model that a single harvester would be able to manage by them- selves but one that would also answer some basic scientific questions about this aquaculture technique. That way if the project was successful it would become a scientifically-proven financially viable commercial-scale solution to the growing green crab problem. On a spring weekend in 2014 Warner Hagan and several volunteers deployed 150000 soft-shell seed clams in a 2.3 acre plot at a sub-productive flat in Heal Eddy in Georgetown Mainethe same flat that Warner was already leasing through a conservation closure a year earlier. The fact that the area was sub-productive was key because otherwise the project would be impinging on the productive open range flats. It took a 10000 upfront investment to buy the seeds and nets for the farm and took four low tides to install the seventy 20x14 foot plots. The agreement was that Warner would main- tain the farm for three growing seasonsthe time it would take for the clams to reach commercial size two inchesand would receive all of the harvest profitan estimated 50000. In return he would help install and maintain the entire scientific study which involves six different experimental treat- ments. Some of the plots are control plots with no seed clams and no nets. Others have seed clams but no protective netting. The rest of the plots have nets with varying mesh sizes to test the effectiveness of different nets to ward off green crabs. Warner says his relationship with Manomet has turned him into a scientist. I would have never planted seed clams without protective netting. I thought scientists would be smarter than that. But now I understand why thats so impor- tant. Its the only way we can prove the netting is the factor that makes this work. The Cultural Challenge One might assume that the technological challenge of eliminating green crab predation would be the main obstacle of the farm. Indeed that problem needs solving but the cultural challenge has proven to be far more formidable. It involves changing how humans do things. The conservation closure which keeps Warners farm off limits to other harvesters expires this December. The clams require another summer of growth to reach harvestable size but when he sought to extend the closure for one more year he was met with some fierce opposition. The intertidal clam flats have been considered open range for centuries. Although the state technically owns the resources in the intertidal zone any licensed harvester can harvest clams anywhere anytime. The open-range nature of clamming is a centuries-old tradition. But due to the green crab invasion this type of management is no longer helping the industry thrive. Farming presents a solution but also a change. As Warner Left Students from Georgetown Central School visited the clam farm in the spring and fall to learn about clams farming and green crabs. Right Jay Holt owns the property that surrounds the clam farm and volunteers his time to help with the project. 6 Manomet Partnerships for Sustainability Summer 2015 explains for clam farms to work a harvester needs to havefire in the belly skin in the game and a sense of delayed reward. Farms require an upfront investment of both capital and labor as well as continuous maintenance yet the financial rewards only come after two or three years. No harvester would invest money and labor to then have his harvest open to everyone at the end. For clam farming to work the clammers investment has to be legally protected through to final harvest. Some harvesters in Georgetown are uncomfortable with this change. Even though the farm only encompasses 2.3 unproductive acres out of the towns 1200 acres of open inter- tidal flats it represents a threat to a tradition that they hold sacred. Harvesters in Georgetown may be able to successfully dig clams as an open harvest for a couple more summers but many harvesters from other towns who have seen their local clam populations collapse see the farm as the only viable way out and are anxious to see the results of the experiment. One year after planting the mud under the nets is full of telltale holes made by the siphons of the bivalves as they break the muds surface to filter food from the water column. Earlier this yearWarner spoke to a group of fishermen from Harpswell and Brunswick who were taking part in a seven- week aquaculture course. Although the program was open to all types of fishermen nearly everyone in the class was a soft- shell clammerlooking for a way forward. During his talk Warner told the class that he had a choice that night go to the Shellfish Committee and ask once again for his extension or come educate a group of clammers who are ready for a change. Every day of the week I will choose to be right here he told them.Were looking at the future of this industry and its bright for the first time. Conclusion Soft-shell clam harvesters in Maine are faced with a chal- lenge. A pestspread by humans and worsened by humans through greenhouse-gas-induced ocean warmingis threaten- ing the traditional open harvest that has shaped the clamming industry for centuries. Green crabs and climate change have conspired to alter the conditions for softshell clamming which in turn has changed the needs of clammers. While the intertidal clam flats should continue to exist as a common good perhaps as Ostrom offers in her eight principles for managing a commons the rules governing the resource should change to match the local conditions. The experimental clam farm in Georgetown is just one example of how we have to adapt to the world weve created and become better stewards of nature which provides so much to our economy our culture and our well-being. I am Manomet Ive been a shellsh harvester on the Maine coast my whole life. I want my kids to have the same opportunity. I believe people can take care of our natural resources and use them sustainably across generations. I believe its my responsibility. Chris Warner Shellsh Harvester Manomet Partnerships for Sustainability Summer 2015 7 get out your binoculars Every year during the fall migration lovers of birds participate in the Manomet Bird-a-Thon. Birders participate individually or on a team by counting the number of different species of birds they see in a 48 hour period and by asking family friends neighbors and co-workers to sponsor them. EVERYONE IS WELCOME Beginners experts and first timers can get in on the fun. We cant do it without you. If you are not able to bird but still wish to contribute you can sponsor the Manomet Intern Team or make a donation. Anyone donating 250 or raising 250 in sponsorships will recieve an exclusive Bird-a-Thon tee shirt When September 12-13 2015 High tides are Sept. 12 at 1136 AM and 1150 PM Sept. 13 at 1212 PM Where You pick the site walk the coastline hike in the woods drive to your favorite birding spot or just sit by your window. Your goal is to identify as many species as possible. How Go online to www.manomet.orgbird- thon or request a packet from Johanna Lawrence at jlawrencemanomet.org Its Time for the 37th Annual Manomet Bird-a-Thon new this year Bird-a-Thon goes 21st century--you can manage Bird-a-Thon ALL online this year at www.manomet.orgbird-thon Bird for Banders Bird for Banding LabBird for a Sustainable Future Its Time for the 37th Annual Manomet Bird-a-Thon From the dawn of civilization to present day humans have depended on forests and we will continue to do so indefinitely given proper conservation and management. Forests and the trees within them have pro- vided us the basics of shelter and warmth. They support bio- diversityproviding plants and animals that nourish us. Forests make up our watersheds safe- guarding our clean water by fil- tering out pollutants. Global for- ests are essential in regulating climate. They provide for our basic existence including plant- based medicines. MANAGING WORKING FORESTS RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN A CHANGING CLIMATE Forests are also economically significant with 440 million acres of working forests in the U.S. In 2008 forestry and logging operations were comprised of 9741 companies with 61300 employees and an annual payroll of 2.2 bil- lion dollars. The changing climate puts forestry management into a new context as forests are critical in helping humans deal with climate change. Forestland owners are already experiencing climate change related problems such as stream crossings due to heavy precipitation events over the last several years. However commercial foresters can manage for cli- mate change risks and plan for potential benefits once they are able to identify climate change impacts on their land. Manomets Climate Smart Land Network or the Network team takes complex science which is inher- ently multidisciplinary and turns it into accessible bites of applicable information. Landowners are then able to engage take action and come out on topsafeguarding vital woodlands for generations to come. by Bridget Alexander BENEFITS OF FORESTS The value of the worlds forests30 of the Earths land surfaceas a biological economic and climate mitigation resource cannot be overstated. They are home to 80 of the worlds terrestrial biodiversity.1 They provide an enormous economic benefit in the form of water quality management with about 80 freshwater in the U.S. originating within forests.2 They absorb about one-third of the annual global carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels3 and account for as much as 45 of the carbon stored on land.4 Forests also provide us with fresh air shelter and fuelwood and supply the wood for countless products including the fiber for paper products. Investing in sustainable management of our working forests today will keep the forest products industry viable and maintain land in forests. COMMERCIAL FORESTRY AND CLIMATE CHANGE A changing climate brings new risk to the management of North Americas commercial forests but also new opportuni- ties. The key is applying the right forest management tech- niques to take advantage of opportunities and lower risks. Risks include drought and heat stress which increase the likelihood of fires and disease potentially reducing productiv- ity and ultimately causing forest die-off. The USDAs Forest Service states on their Climate Change Resource Center site Pathogens that incite tree diseases include fungi bacteria viruses parasitic plants nematodes and other microorgan- isms.5 Pest infestations like pine beetles are also more likely either directly by allowing pest populations to increase and expand their range or indirectly by making trees more vulner- able to attack because they are stressed. Pest wounds can pro- vide another opportunity for pathogens to enter trees. Another risk to commercial forestry is tree species shifting ranges. The U.S. Forest Service Northern Research Station Research Review Autumn 2010 provides a nice illustration of how this may happen Trees cope with stress in the only way they canmature trees will start producing more seeds. Those seeds will travel as they usually do some will simply roll downhill others will be carried by wind or water others by bird or squirrel power. Those that arrive in suitable places may sprout and grow.6 Due to changes in our cli- mate once unsuitable places will become quite hospitable thus leading to a shift in range of many North American tree species. From a commercial standpoint this is similar to a farmer no longer being able to grow the same crops that he was used to growing. This is especially true in the South where companies operate the most like farmers who focus on a particular species like Loblolly pine in the Southeast. Extensive genetic research is conducted on single spe- cies resulting in the identification of specific strains that will grow fast straight and with the least knots. When conditions change such as more drought landowners increasingly have the ability to switch strains to ones that are more drought resistant. In short a lot of what foresters are doing already is preparing them for a changing climate. But many havent fully appreciat- ed that what they are doing is preparing for a changing climate. In the North the focus shifts more to hardwoods. These companies rely more on natural regeneration like the descrip- tion above from the U.S. Forest Serviceseeds and the right growing conditions. This approach also provides for more spe- cies diversity. Tree species will more naturally shift with chang- ing conditions like temperature. On the other hand climate change can bring some positives such as a longer growing season with warmer temperatures and elevated CO2 levels which will increase growth rates. Improved growing conditions in some regions will create the ability to grow more valuable specieswhere they were previ- ously unproductive. In this light tree species shifting ranges is a new economic advantage. From left to right Si Balch Manomet Forest Consultant Eric Walberg Senior Program Leader of Climate Services Al Lyons Hancock Timber Resource Group headquarterd in Alabama. 1 World Wildlife Fund. 2015. Forest Habitat. Retrieved from httpwww.worldwildlife. orghabitatsforest-habitat 2 Sedell J. et al. 2000. Water and the Forest Service. United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. 3 CSIRO Australia. 2011 August 10. Forests absorb one third of fossil fuel emissions study finds. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 26 2015 from www.sciencedaily.com releases201108110810093835.htm 4 Carlowicz M. 2012 January. Seeing Forests for the Trees and the Carbon Mapping the Worlds Forests in Three Dimensions. Retrieved from httpearthobservatory.nasa.gov FeaturesForestCarbon 5 U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. Forest Tree Diseases and Climate Change. Retrieved from httpwww.fs.usda.govccrctopicsforest-disease 6 US FOREST SERVICE NORTHERN RESEARCH STATION. 2010. Study Suggests Tree Ranges are Already Shifting due to Climate Change. Retrieved from httpwww.fs.fed.usnrs newsreviewreview-vol11.pdf 10 Manomet Partnerships for Sustainability Summer 2015 GLOSSARY WATERSHED An area of land that separates waters owing to different rivers or basins. ADAPTATION The adjustments that society or ecosystems make to limit negative effects of climate change. It can also include taking advantage of opportunities that a changing climate provides. ECOSYSTEM SERVICES Any positive benet that wildlife or ecosystems provide to people. The benets can be direct or indirect large or small. CARBON SEQUESTRATION The removal and storage of carbon from the atmosphere in carbon sinks such as oceans forests or soils through physical or biological processes such as photosynthesis. RISK MANAGEMENT The process of evaluating and responding to exposure and vulnerability to climate change. MANOMETS CLIMATE SMART LAND NETWORK As you can see there is a lot to consider on top of the consuming day-to-day running of a commercial forestry business. To take the edge off this heady science Manomets expert staff advise forestland owners on climate-resilient management practices and strategies. Strategies include planting different species creating infrastructure that can withstand a variety of weather conditions and a strategy that is already consistently implemented using buffers along streams and wetlands to slow down storm water and prevent sediment from entering bodies of water. Manomet is proud of its long and deep history in forestry and as Manomet has evolved it is focusing more intently on engaging people through the business sector on climate change and the broader issues of sustainability. After several years of climate change vulnerability assessment and adaptation planning work Manomet launched the Network. Over the last three years Manomet staff have engaged directly with this large and important sector. Specifically staff are walking timberland with landown- ers land managers and stakeholders to both understand how climate change is impacting their operations and to identify appropriate management responses. The Network is a mechanism to leverage that experience and rapidly scale up participation in climate smart forest managementresulting in new climate lead- ers from within the sector and taking the engagement of the sector to a level of historic proportions. Owners and managers are typically introduced to the Network with an in- person meeting and often a simultaneous field visit with a selection of their staff and Manomets Climate Services team. Manomet provides a presentation cover- ing an overview of fundamental principles in climate science and projected chang- es. Participants are encouraged to ask detailed questionspromoting an open dialogue about what we know and dont know about the complexity of climate. Between August and November of 2014 Manomets Senior Program Leader of Climate ServicesEric WalbergApplied Forest ScientistJennifer Hushaw and Manomets consulting forester Si Balch conducted field site visits with Network members and commercial forest landowners based in Alabama Connecticut Maine Massachusetts New Hampshire New York and New Brunswick Canada. Walberg observedField visits result in insights that never occur indoors or over the phone. Such visits are a unique aspect of Manomets Network. During the site visits several themes rose to the forefront risk management evaluating uncertainty intersection of different stressors habitat shift projections resilience capitalizing on opportunities and the need for regionally-specific solu- tions. Broadly these topics are related to decision-making climate impacts and adaptation and they touch on some of the most challenging aspects of climate- smart land management. When it comes to incorporating climate change into forest management deci- sions risk assessment and evaluation of uncertainty are key. Site visit discussions highlighted that different individuals and organizations have different levels of risk tolerance with investor-owned organizations being particularly well-versed in the application of risk-management concepts. Members are grappling with the challenge of weighing the risks and rewards of various adaptation measures while remembering that inaction itself can also have risks. Understanding the major sources of uncertainty in climate projections will help with this decision-making process. And thats what Manomet is providing to landownersunderstanding. After the initial meeting members complete a checklist that gauges their level of climate knowledge their existing forest management and greenhouse gas mitigation efforts and any climate-related changes positive or negative they have observed on their land holdings. This checklist is revisited every two years provid- ing a helpful baseline and set of metrics for detecting change over time. Conservation means the wise use of the Earth and its resources for lasting good of men. GIFFORD PINCHOT 11 Members also sign a memorandum of agreement with Manomet which outlines their commitment to the program. Following that initial meeting Manomet staff continue to have regular contact with members through quarterly phone calls specific information requests and detailed monthly bulletins. The Network monthly bulletins connect network mem- bers and support sharing management practices and stories of implementation. This winter Hushaw posted a bulletin on Changes in Temperature Variability. One of the Networks newer members Resource Management Service or RMS which owns over 2.2 million acres in the U.S. Southeast and is headquartered in Alabama provided some positive feedback. Jimmy Bullock their senior vice president of forest sustainability shared that not only did he like it but the information provided scored high on relevan- cy. He went on to sayIve distributed the bulletin widely via e-mail throughout RMS. In sharing the story amongst Manomet staff Hushaw reflected Thats exactly what were going for And it is engaging staff at all levels on the issue of living sustainably in a world with finite resourcestaking on climate change and implementing sustainable forestry management best practices. Members of the Network have encouraged Manomet to take the program global in scope to help inform them about climate change risk in other countries. In fact the Network has recently scaled up some components to the global level. Specifically the analysis of climate science and forest impacts has been expanded beyond North America to adopt a global focus. For example the most recent Network Bulletins address temperature and precipitation trends and projections from a global perspective. According to Hushaw As the Network expands we have an increasing number of members with land holdings overseas. They need to understand how climate is changing globally and what the important regional differences are. These recent changes notwithstanding there are more developments on the horizon. One of the exciting opportuni- ties to better serve the Network members is coming from a rapid expansion in research into the linkage between climate change and extreme weather. Recent studies provide insight on two different elements of attribution the linkage of individual weather events to climate change and more importantly pro- jections of changing probabilities of extreme heat and precipi- tation associated with different increments of warming. Walberg commentedThe evolving ability to assign specific probabilities to extreme heat and precipitation is a potential game changer. As this area of the science matures well be able to factor the changing likelihood of extreme conditions into forest planning and management. Living sustainably in a world with finite resources is argu- ably the greatest challenge of our time but Manomet believes that people can live and work today in ways that enable our world to thrive and prosper tomorrow. Maintaining managing and regenerating our forests is an investment in a thriving and prosperous future. The long-term benefits of maintaining healthy and sustain- able forests are undeniable in the face of a changing climate but absolutely possible. One big reason to be optimistic about the future of our working forests is commercial forest landown- ers are embracing the Network. POTENTIAL BENEFITS DISCUSSED WITH CSLN MEMBERS CSLN STAFF DURING SITE VISITS INCREASED GROWTH RATES from longer growing season precipitation changes and CO2 fertilization etc. INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY IN VALUABLE SPECIES that are currently marginalvaluable species may thrive or increase in abundance in certain areas like black cherry in New Hampshire or black walnut white oak and black cherry in Maine. ABILITY TO GROW ENTIRELY NEW SPECIES in each region due to shifting climate. INCREASED DROUGHT TOLERANCE from CO2 fertilization. INCREASED USE OF INSURANCE TO COVER CLIMATE-RELATED RISK. IMPROVED CLIMATE CONDITIONS e.g. less summerfall precipitation in the northeast that will reduce incidence of water-logged soils during those seasons. The Networks goal is to enroll 30 million acres of forests in the U.S. and Canada as Climate Smart by the end of 2018. There are more than 13 million acres currently enrolled. Network members Baskahegan Company Hancock Timber Resource Group J.D. Irving Limited Lyme Timber Company New England Forestry Foundation Resource Management Service Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine States with CSLN land 12 Manomet Partnerships for Sustainability Summer 2015 Bob Nolet of the Plymouth Area Chamber of the Commerce attends an opening of a local business in Plymouth Massachusetts. Photo by Denise Macaseri. Everyday more businesses are recognizing the need to include sustainability in their core strategy to create a thriving and prosperous future for both their business and our world. However our supply of natural resources clean air water food and land for all living things is diminishing while the demand for these resources is steadily increasing. Small Business Sustainability GOOD BUSINESS FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW by Cheryl Botieri Begin using Root 360 now at www.root360.org. To learn more about Manomets Sustainable Economies programs please visit httpswww.manomet.org sustainable-economies According to The 21st Century Corporation The Ceres Roadmap for Sustainability businesses that are already beginning to include sustainabil- ity in their core strategy will be the leaders of tomorrow. Success requires placing sustain- ability at the epicenter of business models. Environmental social and governance issues must be seamlessly integrated into strategic plan- ning and investment decision making. Company practices must reflect an understanding that they are dependent upon goods and services provided by nature and that natures limits and finite resources must be fully valued and managed for long term growth and prosperity. As many more people become informed about the worlds resource and sustainability challenges they are also becoming more active and knowledgeable about businesses sustainability practicesor lack thereof. When businesses are not imple- menting such changes customers are making their voices heard by not spending or investing with them. At Manomet our Sustainable Economies Program is dedicated to creating a balanced relationship between our modern economy and the natural world. To help small and medium sized businesses improve performance across the environmental social and governance ESG spectrum Manomet has developed Root 360. This web-based tool www.root360.org is a gateway for businesses to benchmark and improve their sustainable busi- ness practiceshelping them to be in greater alignment with a functional sustainable economy. In less than 15 minutes this practical tool provides an opportunity for business owners to begin to assess how sustain- ably fit they are. Special features of the program include a benchmarking tool for comparative analysis and an interactive sustainability SWOT AnalysisMy SWOT 360. SWOT stands for strenghts weaknesses opportunities and threats. This specific tool will help businesses evaluate options and make strategic decisions. Impact calculators are tied to best management practices and show savingsboth in cost and resources like greenhouse gas emissions gallons of water and tons of waste. Participants can choose from a variety of options and com- mitment levels. By proceeding through the different surveys Manomet foresees significant reductions in the environmental footprint and increased economic viability of participating businessesas well as an improved quality of experience for the workers customers and communities that are touched by these businesses. A resource library and the ability to connect with a network of business advisors through local small business development centers or chambers of commerce are also being built into the tools menu of offerings. One of the most interesting elements of Root 360 is its Community Centric Peer Group Sustainability plat- form. Through this unique feature it is easy to coordinate a sustainability initiative across a community region or indus- try group. Connecting with other businesses and learning from each other can be an excellent way to increase sustain- ability efforts and lower costs. This June the Plymouth Massachusetts Area Chamber of Commerce PACC launched a Root 360 Initiative as a way to engage their members in a regional sustainability effort. PACC President Kevin OReilly recently shared We are pleased to be participating in the launch of Manomets Root 360 busi- ness sustainability tool. Through the use of this platform businesses have the opportunity to learn how sound business practices are both good for the bottom line and the environ- ment in our communities. As a chamber initiative PACC members were invited to use the online tool to benchmark their individual businesses through July to gain a sustainability score for the PACC service area. Our hope is to use the Root 360 tool as another way to engage our businesses in sustainability efforts across our region. By doing this together as a chamber we feel it is an excellent way to combine efforts learn from each other and build healthy businesses and communities said Director of Membership Relations Meaghan Doherty. Working with chambers across the country is one of our key strategies to implement Root 360. Were excited to be working with the PACC in Americas hometown shared Sustainable Economies Senior Program Leader Anthony Jaccarino. Currently he and his team are meeting with several chambers of commerce small business development centers and other types of business organizations. The goal is to have 8000 businesses using Root 360 over the next three years to increase sustainability practices and outcomes across this sector. There are approximately six million small businesses in the U.S. representing 99 of all employer firms and 55 of all jobs according to the Small Business Administration. To solve a problem as large as the worlds sustainability challenge we can begin to make a difference by working togetherone small business or community at a time. It is an excellent way to combine efforts learn from each other and build healthy businesses and communities. Meaghan Doherty PACC Director of Membership Relations our new brand Creating a thriving and prosperous world with finite resources is one of the biggest challenges of our time. To take on a challenge this big most people will need to be a part of the solution. The good news is the vast majority of people want a thriving future and are willing to act. By applying science and engaging people Manomet provides practical ways to actwhere people live and work. As a result Manomet is showing how we can create a sustainable future. At Manomet we believe people can live and work today in ways that will enable our world to thrive and prosper tomorrow. about us Why We believe people can live and work today in ways that will enable our world to thrive and prosper tomorrow How By applying science and engaging people What A nonprofit that champions better practices in conservation business sustainability and science education in the U.S. and internationally Soaring Solutions. Grounded Science. integrity excellence optimism hope respect Manomet Partnerships for Sustainability Summer 2015 15 Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage P A I D Permit No. 72 Holliston MA P.O. Box 1770 Manomet Massachusetts 02345 USA Address Service Requested E Printed on recycled paper When you have finished reading this magazine please pass it along to a friend. Soaring Solutions. Grounded Science. I am Manomet My lifelong fondness for forests stems from their value as natural ecosystems and a critical resource for society. At Manomet I am lucky to spend every day working at the intersection of sound science and practical application nding the points of commonality and capitalizing on them in a way that balances all the reasons we love our forests. Jennifer Hushaw Applied Forest Scientist