About Woodlands Connect

The Woodlands Connect program is dedicated to supporting underserved forest landowners and stewards in Massachusetts to enhance the ecological and economic potential of their woodlands. The program focuses on supporting the following Forest Landowner and Stewardship groups:

  • BIPOC
  • Tribal nations and affiliations
  • Beginners
  • Those with limited resources
  • Veterans

“Woodlands Connect demonstrates that equitable agroforestry technical assistance requires more than information delivery. It requires social infrastructure: trusted relationships, cross-sector governance, community-rooted partners, and state agency adaptation to the different needs of underserved land stewards.”

— Mike Downey, DCR Service Forestry

Our Approach

Our approach connects historically underserved landowners with culturally-appropriate services and resources to help their woodlands thrive. We are expanding the reach of traditional forestry services and implementing targeted new strategies to help forest landowners gain the knowledge, skills, and support needed to optimize the social impact, ecological value, and economic potential of their woodlands and farms. By connecting underserved landowners with expert guidance and fostering a sense of community, we are creating a new network of informed and capable forest stewards who will ensure more healthy, well-managed and productive forests in Massachusetts.

 What We Do
  • Stakeholder Steering Committee: Oversee the creation of programs and strategies to ensure that underserved land stewards have access to the resources they need. Influence the following Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) programs and acts:
  • ForestsWork Incentive Programs 
  • DCR Cost-Share Programs 
  • Forest Tax Program 
  • Forest Cutting Practices Act 
  • Forest Stewardship Program 
  • Technical Assistance: Provide tailored guidance on forest management, agroforestry, and sustainable land practices. 
  • Building Community Networks: Host workshops, listening sessions, and networking events to create a collaborative environment among land stewards. 
  • Identifying Barriers: Assess and address the unique challenges that hinder access to resources and support for underserved land stewards.
Latest Posts
Key Activities To Date
  • Summer 2025
  • DCR, Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust, and Regenerative Design Group begin initial work, including outreach, mapping, and data analysis of current forest and landowner information.
  • Fall 2025
  • Steering Committee forms to guide development of programs and projects to increase equity and access to DCR forestry services.
  • Winter 2025-2026
  • Monthly Steering Committee meetings focus on resource mapping, shared values, goal setting, and relationship building, conversations on current DCR programming, new programming ideas, and potential funding opportunities.
  • Attend 2026 Canopy Forestry Forum to network with forestland owners and service providers and share current insights from our work
  • Spring 2026
  • Steering Committee retreat for developing agroforestry and land clinic pilot projects grounded in transparency, reciprocity, and building community trust.
  • Submit implementation plan to USFS outlining needs and barriers facing underserved MA landowners and strategies for delivering technical assistance through community-based and peer-to-peer learning networks.
  • Summer 2026
  • Refine proposal for Agroforestry Pilot Project supporting a network of farms and organizations implementing a wide range of agroforestry practices at multiple scales in diverse contexts and communities. 
  • Attend Cultivating a Farmer-Led Regional Agroforestry Transformation to tour farms, connect with agroforestry producers, and discuss efforts for a regional tree crop economy.
  • Coming Fall 2026
  • Launch Agroforestry Pilot Project; applications due Sept 15
  • Form working groups to guide pilot implementation and organize other projects and initiatives