The wildlands and woodlands approach is consistent with other initiatives in Massachusetts, such as the 2003 Statewide Land Conservation Plan, which has all but disappeared from public discourse. It also applies beyond Massachusetts to many states in New England and the Eastern United States, with expanses of forest similarly dominated by private ownership.

The authors point to several large areas of state-owned land that could be readily designated as wildland reserves in the northern Berkshires, southern Taconics, northern Worcester County, and southeastern Massachusetts. According to Foster, "We strongly support timber harvesting and management on state-owned land. But we also believe it is time to evaluate which state lands should be set aside as large reserves, and we think 50 percent (250,000 acres) is achievable. No state east of the Mississippi would have a comparable network of wild, naturally functioning forest ecosystems."

Co-author and State Extension Forester David Kittredge points to the need for greater attention to the management and conservation of private forestland. "Our current system for informing and supporting private forest landowners in Massachusetts is woefully inadequate. The Woodland Councils we've proposed would help fill the current void in private forest management," Kittredge said.

"We have to realize that we rely on our forests for clean air, clean water, recreation, wildlife habitat, and wood. The nature of forest loss in the 21st century is different than anything we have seen in the past. Pavement is almost always permanent," added Foster.