SHEFFIELD, Mass. — Tom Ryan, a forester with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), will present at the November Berkshire Green Drinks event on Thursday, Nov. 9, in person and online via Zoom.

 

The in-person gathering begins at 5:15 PM at Big Elm Brewery Sheffield Taproom, 65 Silver Street. The presentation and Zoom meeting start at 6:00 PM. 

 

Ryan will touch on several areas within forestry, including an overview of the current state of our forested landscape, a summary of state forestry programs and the existing land use designations for DCR state properties, conservation options for private landowners, forest-climate adaptation and carbon management concepts, landscape-scale habitat restoration efforts, MA forest product consumption trends, biochar, and supporting local forest products and how this can help mitigate climate change.

 

 

Tom Ryan has been a forester with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) since 2003. In 2022, he shifted from the service forestry program – working with private landowners and municipalities – to the management forestry program, helping to manage and steward some 314,000 acres of state forest, park, and reservation lands. Ryan and his family live on a small working farm in southern Berkshire County. Ryan serves on the Tyringham volunteer fire department, as well as on the board of directors for the Bidwell House Museum located in Monterey, where he focuses on forest stewardship. Ryan is also a member of the Berkshire Woodworkers Guild.

 

Berkshire Green Drinks (formerly Pittsfield Green Drinks) is an informal gathering that takes place once a month. A guest speaker talks for about 30 minutes beginning at 6 PM, and the presentation is followed by a discussion and Q&A. These nights are free and open to everyone with any environmental interest. 

 

Berkshire Green Drinks is sponsored and organized by the Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT). 

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