Defenders' Experts
US Forest Service Incentive Programs
Forestry Incentives Program
Status: This program was consolidated into the Forest Land Enhancement
Program.
Forest Land Enhancement Program
Status: Due to the extreme fire season of 2003, $50 million of the FLEP funds were transferred to the Forest Service for fire suppression costs. In the 2004 Interior Appropriations budget, $40 million was not repaid. In the 2005 President's budget, the remaining $40 million is being cancelled. This leaves FLEP with no funds for future years. Any FLEP funds remaining in the states may be spent in accordance with federal and state program rules.
Type of Program: Direct funding, Technical assistance
Purpose: To provide educational, technical, and cost-share assistance to help private forest landowners implement their sustainable forestry management objectives.
Who Can Participate: Non-industrial private forest landowners. There is no limit to the amount of forest land owned by an individual, as long as the person qualifies as a non-industrial private forest landowner.
How it Works: This program is administered through each state, and is optional in each and voluntary for landowners. Each state develops priorities for how the funds will be used, including minimum and maximum acres, aggregate payment, use for technical and educational assistance, and practices that receive cost-share assistance. Landowners need a forest management plan to be eligible for cost-share assistance. The cost-share practices are usually limited to 1,000 acres per year per landowner. Cost share rate is 50-70%.
Agency Offering Program: US Forest Service and state forest agencies
Website: www.fs.fed.us/spf/coop/programs/loa/flep.shtml
Contact Information: To locate your state forester's office, go to www.stateforesters.org/SFlist.html
Notes: This program consolidates and replaces the Forestry Incentives Program and Stewardship Incentives Program.
Forest Legacy Program
Type of Program: Direct funding, Technical assistance
Purpose: To support state efforts to protect environmentally sensitive private forest lands from being converted to nonforest uses, by developing and carrying out state forest conservation plans.
Who Can Participate: Private forest owners
How it Works: This voluntary program supports acquisition of conservation easements, legally binding agreements transferring a negotiated set of property rights from one party to another, without removing the property from private ownership. To qualify, landowners are required to prepare a multiple resource management plan as part of the conservation easement acquisition. Most conservation easements restrict development, require sustainable forestry practices, and protect other values. The federal government may fund up to 75% of program costs, with at least 25% coming from private, state, or local sources. In addition to gains associated with the sale or donation of property rights, many landowners also benefit from reduced federal or state taxes.
Agency Offering Program: US Forest Service and state forestry agencies
Website: www.fs.fed.us/spf/coop/programs/loa/flp.shtml
Contact Information: To locate your state forester's office, go to www.stateforesters.org/SFlist.html
Notes: This program is available in some states, starting up in others, and
unavailable in some.
Forest Stewardship Program
Type of Program: Technical assistance
Purpose: To provide technical assistance, through state forestry agencies, to nonindustrial private forest owners to encourage and enable active long-term forest management to provide timber, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, recreational opportunities and many other benefits for landowners and society, both now and in the future.
Who Can Participate: Non-industrial private forest landowners who are committed to the active management and stewardship of their forested properties for at least ten years. Minimum ownership 10 acres.
How it Works: Landowners develop comprehensive, multi-resource management Forest Stewardship plans that provide information and strategies to manage their forests for a variety of products and services to sustain forest health and vigor. The FSP is not a cost share program. Cost-share assistance for plan implementation may be available through other programs such as the Forest Land Enhancement Program.
Agency Offering Program: US Forest Service and state forestry agencies
Website: www.fs.fed.us/spf/coop/programs/loa/fsp.shtml
Contact Information: To locate your state forester's office, go to www.stateforesters.org/SFlist.html
Healthy Forests Reserve Program
Status: This program has $2,500,000 appropriated nationwide for FY 2006, but it is not clear how or when it will be distributed
Type of Program: Direct funding, Technical assistance
Purpose: To provide financial assistance for private forest landowners to protect, restore, and enhance forest ecosystems to promote the recovery of endangered species, improve biodiversity, and enhance carbon sequestration.
Who Can Participate: Private forest landowners with rare species.
How it Works: The landowner has three choices of agreements with associated cost-share rates: 10-year agreements (50% of conservation easement value plus 50% of restoration costs), 30-year easements (75% of conservation easement vlaue plus 75% of restoration costs), or 99-year easements (75-100% of conservation easement value plus 100% of restoration costs). The landowner, US Forest Service, and US Fish and Wildlife Service develop a conservation plan that benefits rare species and receive cost-share assistance in implementing the plan and, in the case of easements, for the reduction in property value due to the easement. Safe Harbor assurances are available to landowners to allow habitat restoration for rare species without fear of increased regulation.
Agency Offering Program: US Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Websites: www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/HFRP/ProgInfo
www.fs.fed.us/projects/hfi/field-guide/web/page20.php
National Timber Tax Website
Type of Program: Technical assistance
Purpose: To answer specific questions and interpret complex laws regarding the timber taxes.
Who Can Participate: Timber owners, accountants, attorneys, consulting foresters, and other professionals who work with timberland owners.
How it Works: Users can browse information on the web regarding timber tax laws, programs, and strategies. Landowners also organize and maintain complete records of their timber transactions with this web application.
Agency Offering Program: A consortium of public and private forestry organizations.
Website: www.timbertax.org
Contact Information: question@timbertax.org
Stewardship Incentives Program
Status: This program was consolidated into the Forest Land Enhancement
Program.
