POSITION STATEMENT ON FOREST USE Adopted by the University Senate, 11 November 1993 Sustaining Emory's existing Forests is central to maintaining the quality and character of Emory's environment. Mounting evidence over the last thirty years supports preservation of urban forest areas as a primary means of sustaining local environmental quality. Preserving forest provides numerous values directly benefiting Emory University. Emory's policy on forest areas must address the conflicting issues of property development and natural area preservation. Traditional institutional property ownership means development of all property, a belief that is in direct conflict with the forest preservation. Creating a sustainable human and natural environment at Emory requires balancing property use between new construction and forest preservation. The following policy derives from the recommendations of the Murdy-Carter report (W.H. Murdy and M.E.B. Carter, A Report on the Status of Forested Land of Emory University, July 1986, p.5 and Fig. 1 Approved by the University Senate, February 4, 1987). 1) Near-pristine forest lands delineated in the Murdy-Carter report shall be preserved undisturbed in perpetuity. Emory's near-pristine forests will be designated as named preserves. Endowment gifts will be sought for these forests, and the resulting funds in part will be sued to support the establishment of these preserves, including development of long-term management plans to sustain them. The management plans will address at least the following: educational and recreational programs and opportunities, rear species populations, recovery and possible enhancement of natural values, and routine operations, where appropriate. 2) Mature hardwood forests delineated in the Murdy-Carter report shall not be disturbed, neither in whole nor in part, without an environmental assessment and the development of an ecologically sound land-use plan. The Committee on the Environment (COE) will evaluate requests for development within these forests and an assist with the procurement of assessments and land-use plans. 3) Second-growth pine forests may be suitable for new construction siting if the best available environmental precautions and sound land-use management measures are taken. These include but are not limited to avoiding wetland and rare species populations, maintaining buffer zones, and preventing sediment runoff during construction. The Committee on the Environment will review and respond to requests for development within second-growth pine forests. Acknowledging the beauty and value of forests, Emory University espouses a policy of no net loss of forest. Emory will seek to maintain connections between existing parcels in an effort to promote natural corridors for the protection of wildlife. Back to top