Mass. Keystone Project Now Accepting Applications

The Massachusetts Keystone Project trains 20-25 community leaders at the Harvard Forest each year. The 2013 program takes place April 11-14; applications will be accepted through March 4.

Potential Keystone applicants should either own forestland, be involved in the care and stewardship of a property, or be an involved community leader. Applications will be reviewed for applicant experience, connectedness within the community, special skills, and diversity.

The annual training covers subjects such as forest ecology and management, wildlife management, land protection, and community outreach. In exchange for the training and take-home resources, graduates of the program, called Cooperators, agree to return to their communities and volunteer at least 30 hours towards projects that promote conservation.

Past Keystone Cooperator projects have included permanent land conservation, initiating a forest landowner cooperative, promoting management on municipal and conservation lands, writing newspaper articles, hosting educational events, and improving their own properties for wildlife, recreation, and timber.

Since 1988, the Keystone Project has trained more than 450 community opinion leaders and landowners, who have collectively volunteered over 37,125 hours to conservation-related activities.

For more information on the Keystone project, contact:
Paul Catanzaro, Extension Assistant Professor; University of Massachusetts; 413 545-4839; cat@umext.umass.edu