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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><img width="83" height="119" style="width:.8645in;height:1.2395in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image005.png@01D5581E.54F56850" alt="DEM-logo-small"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#00457A">Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#00457A">235 Promenade Street | Providence, RI 02908 | 401.222.4700 |</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0">
</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0">
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#00457A">| @RhodeIslandDEM</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT:
</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Gail Mastrati, DEM: 401-222-4700, X2402<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Wednesday, August 21, 2019
<span style="color:#0066FF"><a href="mailto:gail.mastrati@dem.ri.gov"><span style="color:#0066FF">gail.mastrati@dem.ri.gov</span></a>
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">DEM SEEKING PUBLIC FEEDBACK ON RHODE ISLAND’S FORESTS
</span></b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">Information gathered from online survey will help inform the RI 2020 State Forest Action Plan
<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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RI – The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is conducting an online </span>
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF"><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__ridem.wufoo.com_forms_z8ntm760zvfyj1_&d=DwMF-g&c=tSLbvWYfvulPN3G_n48TUw&r=PNPCCLvWGdSuU1Tdn5Dnfma8bA9iLrs91avOnZ4uMV0&m=jPi3lEuWGF-S_N2vqrinyrMcjc0zQwUCQyoCq0Qdmnc&s=wdYdjO8X01ADI010dUaT69TplHWNzFe8bvV9sYSjkgY&e="><span style="color:#0066FF">survey</span> [ridem.wufoo.com]</a>
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">this month to gather public input on issues related to state forests. Feedback will be used to inform the
</span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal">Rhode Island 2020 State Forest Action Plan (SFAP) and develop strategies to conserve working forest landscapes, protect
forests from harm, and enhance public benefits from trees and forests.</span></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">“We encourage residents across our state to participate in the 2020 Forest Action Plan Survey and share their insights about Rhode Island’s
forests,” said DEM Director Janet Coit. "Whether you own forestland, simply appreciate forest landscape, or engage in recreational activities on forested land, we want to hear from you. Feedback from this survey will help guide forest management priorities
over the next decade. Conserving and protecting forest resources is part of DEM’s core mission and supports quality of life in the Ocean State.”
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#444444;letter-spacing:.1pt;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Healthy forests are essential to public health and well-being and an important part of the state infrastructure. Trees perform many essential tasks. They are solar-powered
organisms that improve air quality, sequester carbon, mitigate stormwater runoff, filter water, moderate temperatures, and provide habitat and places for Rhode Islanders to enjoy wildlife and nature.<span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">DEM invites all Rhode Islanders
</span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal">to participate in the survey, answer questions, and share their thoughts about Rhode Island’s forested land: Do you
value Rhode Island’s forests? Do you own land, hunt, fish, hike, or participate in other outdoor activities in our state’s forestland? The
</span></span><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF"><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__ridem.wufoo.com_forms_z8ntm760zvfyj1_&d=DwMF-g&c=tSLbvWYfvulPN3G_n48TUw&r=PNPCCLvWGdSuU1Tdn5Dnfma8bA9iLrs91avOnZ4uMV0&m=jPi3lEuWGF-S_N2vqrinyrMcjc0zQwUCQyoCq0Qdmnc&s=wdYdjO8X01ADI010dUaT69TplHWNzFe8bvV9sYSjkgY&e="><span style="color:#0066FF;letter-spacing:.25pt">Rhode Island 2020 Forest Action Plan Survey</span> [ridem.wufoo.com]</a></span></u><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0066FF;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal">
</span></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal">takes only a few minutes to complete. The survey will be open through Saturday, August 31.
</span></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-weight:normal;font-style:normal"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">The 2020 revision of the SFAP will include an assessment of the
<span style="color:black;background:white">condition of trees and forests within state boundaries, regardless of ownership, along with strategies that address national forest conservation and protection goals. Rhode Island’s SFAP, first completed in 2010, must
be updated every 10 years as required by the 2008 Farm Bill. </span><span style="color:#1D2129">The plan is available online at
</span><span style="color:#0066FF"><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.stateforesters.org_districts_rhode-2Disland_&d=DwMF-g&c=tSLbvWYfvulPN3G_n48TUw&r=PNPCCLvWGdSuU1Tdn5Dnfma8bA9iLrs91avOnZ4uMV0&m=jPi3lEuWGF-S_N2vqrinyrMcjc0zQwUCQyoCq0Qdmnc&s=rk4wymv0elo591ils7JdFXP0aw5T0FIO0OmFonYMzb8&e="><span style="color:#0066FF">www.stateforesters.org/districts/rhode-island/</span> [stateforesters.org]</a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color:#0066FF">.</span></span></span></span><span style="color:#1D2129"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">For more information on DEM programs and initiatives, visit
<span style="color:#0066FF"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/"><span style="color:#0066FF">http://www.dem.ri.gov/</span></a>.
</span>Follow us on Facebook at <span style="color:#0066FF"><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.facebook.com_RhodeIslandDEM&d=DwMF-g&c=tSLbvWYfvulPN3G_n48TUw&r=PNPCCLvWGdSuU1Tdn5Dnfma8bA9iLrs91avOnZ4uMV0&m=jPi3lEuWGF-S_N2vqrinyrMcjc0zQwUCQyoCq0Qdmnc&s=dGVx9jmlkQKv899ZMDL6l6Sd7j2BrZg68PyMcPOFtgA&e=" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0066FF">www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM</span> [facebook.com]</a></span> or on Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM) for timely updates.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">– 30 –</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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