forest conservation in 2009 a farm bill progress …...2 forest conservation in 2009: a farm bill...

American Forest Foundation

Forest Conservation in 2009

a Farm Bill Progress report

About This ReportTo prepare this report, the American Forest Foundation (AFF), a

nonprofit forest conservation and environmental education organization

working to ensure the sustainability of America’s family forests for

present and future generations, studied how the expanded programs

in the 2008 Farm Bill are working in practice. AFF analyzed U.S.

Department of Agriculture (USDA) program data from fiscal year 2009,

the first year of implementation, and interviewed landowners to gain

insight into the effectiveness of these programs.

Selected cases illustrate both successes and problems, while

our recommendations focus on regulatory and administrative

improvements. AFF, along with our partners in the Forests in the Farm

Bill Coalition, is currently developing policy solutions that can and

should inform the legislative discussions for the 2012 Farm Bill.

For more information contact:

Dan Conant

1111 Nineteenth St NW

Suite 780

Washington, DC 20036

202.463.2431

[email protected]

www.forestfoundation.org

Forest Conservation in 2009: A Farm Bill Progress Report 1

Forest Conservation in 2009: a Farm Bill Progress reportThe 2008 Farm Bill provided new incentives for environmentally and economically sound management on

America’s family forests. These improvements were supported by a coalition of environmental, conservation, and

forestry organizations, that for the first time, came together as the “Forests in the Farm Bill Coalition” to support a

common agenda around forests. For these diverse interests, the threat of most concern was not the timber wars

of the past, but the threat of development and fragmentation. They agreed that an imperative in the 2008 Farm Bill

had to be helping family forest owners — those who own most of America’s forests — hold on to their forests and

improve forest health. Providing stewardship incentives to help families improve the management of their lands

also offered the opportunity to protect multiple public benefits — clean air and water, wood products, wildlife,

recreation, and other values.

Since the 2008 Farm Bill, when forests were first included in

conservation programs, the threats to America’s private forests

have not declined. Rather, the threat is even more pronounced.

The latest in a series of Forests on the Edge reports from the

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, points

to the urgent need to continue to address the challenges facing

family forest owners. In August 2010, USDA released a new

report, Private Forests, Public Benefits, which highlights the

ever-increasing pressures on private forests, particularly from

housing density. The report links these increasing pressures to

the impacts on public benefits such as water quality. The impacts

of pests, disease, wildfire, and pollution were also investigated.

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, called attention to this report by noting where the federal government can

help. He said, “Tax policies, conservation programs, and funding, and assistance to landowners in managing their

lands can help create an environment that makes it easier for landowners to keep forests as forests — and not sell

them to the first developer who makes an offer” (Vilsack, 2010).

The Farm Bill’s conservation programs offer a range of tools to help family forest owners address the myriad

threats facing private forest owners. These programs include management assistance that helps families improve

their forests so they get both financial and ecological value from their land, and conservation tools that help

families keep their land as a forest, resisting pressure to convert to nonforested uses that reduce or, in most cases,

eliminate public benefits of forest land.

Given the urgent need to address threats to private forests, this report provides a snapshot of the first year of

implementation of the 2008 Farm Bill conservation programs, highlighting areas of success as well as needs for

improvement in program implementation.

Forest Conservation in 2009: A Farm Bill Progress Report2

In researching this report, the American Forest Foundation (AFF), found that new pathways have been created

to engage family forest owners for essential stewardship practices through the Farm Bill authorities. In particular,

federal agencies have made strides in their work to serve this new audience. However, further improvements in

program implementation are needed, including on-the-ground technical assistance, streamlining paperwork and

payments, and improving federal, state, and private coordination. The 2012 Farm Bill offers an opportunity to enroll

more family forest owners on the pathway to more sustainable forestry, to conserve more of our vital forests,

and to protect the multitude of public benefits these forests provide. In the spirit of continuous improvement, we

acknowledge that the 2008 Farm Bill was a strong beginning, but much more needs to be done to ensure healthy

and sustainable forests in America.

Family Forests in americaThe United States has 751 million acres of forest, of which 56 percent (423 million acres) are privately owned. Of

these private owners, 62 percent are “family forest owners” (USDA, 2008).

More than 10 million individuals and families are responsible for managing 251 million acres of forests in the United

States — an area the size of the Eastern Seaboard from Georgia to Maine. That is 35 percent of all the forestland in

America — more than is owned by either the federal government (33 percent) or the forest industry (21 percent).

These family forests are vital to the economic vitality of rural

communities and provide essential public benefits: clean water,

clean air, wildlife habitat, carbon storage, renewable energy, and

recreation. If sustainably managed, they can be less vulnerable

to the pests, invasive species, and wildfire that currently threaten

their viability.

Like America’s family farms and ranches, America’s family

forestlands are part of the nation’s rural tapestry. And like family

farms, economic struggles are affecting family forest landowners’

ability to protect the nation’s water, air, soils, and wildlife habitat

and to provide wood products and renewable energy feedstocks

that benefit all Americans.

On average, one million acres of private forests are converted to

development every year. And this conversion has tremendous

impact on a variety of public benefits. For example, most of the

wood products we use every day come from private forests — 92

percent of all timber harvested in the United States is from private

forests. More than 25 percent of our fresh water flows from and

is filtered by private forest land (USDA, 2009). And, approximately

60 percent of “at-risk” animals and plants rely on private forest

land (USDA, 2009).

Local1%

Family35%

Other Private21%

Federal33%

State9%

Forest Ownership in the United States

Source: U.S. Forest Service

(Due to rounding, percentages do not add to 100%)


Farm Bill Conservation Programs for Family ForestsThe 2008 Farm Bill Conservation programs provide new incentives for landowners to sustain the many values

their forests provide through sound management and conservation. These programs encourage investment in

wildlife habitat improvements, watershed protection, protection from development pressures, soil conservation,

timber and renewable energy production, as well as carbon sequestration. Qualifying landowners can receive both

technical and financial assistance for practices, rental payments, and easements.

The programs are administered primarily by USDA agencies: the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS),

the Farm Service Agency, and the U.S. Forest Service in partnership with state forestry agencies. While there are

other programs in the Farm Bill that apply to family forest owners, for the purposes of this report, we are focusing our

analysis on the conservation and forestry programs that are the most significant for family forest owners.

Natural Resources Conservation Service Programs Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) offers financial and

technical help to assist eligible participants with management practices

on their lands; family forestland is now eligible and forest management is

an eligible practice.

Funding: $7.1 billion over five years with a requirement that 60 percent

be used for livestock related practices.

Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) offers technical and financial

assistance for landowners to establish and improve fish and wildlife

habitat; family forestland is eligible and forestry practices are encouraged.

Funding: $85 million per year over five years.

Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) offers stewardship contracts to

landowners who meet a certain threshold of land stewardship and agree

to maintain and improve their land. Previously called the Conservation

Security Program, it now includes family forests. Under the program,

participants receive annual payments for conservation performance —

the higher the performance, the higher the payment.

Acreage: 12 million acres per year, 10 percent of which can be family

forestland.

Healthy Forest Reserve Program offers cost-share agreements, short-term contracts, or permanent conservation

easements to forest owners to promote the recovery of threatened and endangered species, improve biodiversity,

and enhance carbon sequestration.

Funding: $9.75 million annually for fiscal years 2009 through 2012.

Facts About America’s Forests


Farm Service Agency Programs Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program offers annual rental

payments and cost-share assistance for establishing, and in some cases maintaining, long-term, resource-

conserving cover, including trees, on eligible land. Thinning and other forest maintenance activities are now eligible

for 50 percent cost-share payments.

Acreage cap: 32 million acres.

Emergency Forest Restoration Program helps family forest owners restore their forests after hurricanes, wildfires,

and other disasters. Funding: subject to appropriations. It should be noted that this program just recently received

funding, so implementation has not yet begun.

Funding: $18 million for calendar year 2010.

Biomass Crop Assistance Program, a new program, offers family forest owners establishment and production

payments for growing and selling biomass for energy, plus assistance with harvest, transportation, and storage

payments. Funding: mandatory funding in amounts necessary to implement the program. As of this writing, one

element of the program was funded for a very limited time, but then the entire program was suspended, pending

completion of final rules for the program.

U.S. Forest Service ProgramForest Stewardship Program, first authorized in 1978 through the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act, provides

educational outreach on forest stewardship and technical assistance through state forest agency partners to help

landowners develop comprehensive management plans that guide the sustainable management of their forests

for both products and services. While not technically a 2008 Farm Bill program, this program plays an instrumental

role in Farm Bill program implementation. The program enables state foresters to conduct outreach to landowners,

many of whom know little about what to do with their land and are unaware of programs that can help them meet

their conservation goals. Management plans written under the program identify activities needed for sustainable

management and can be used, in some states, to meet the plan requirements of other conservation programs.

Funding: in fiscal year 2009, the year analyzed in this report, the program was funded at $27 million.

Statistical FindingsIn the first year of implementation alone, we found significant new investments were made in forest stewardship

and conservation through Farm Bill programs. Highlights of these investments include

In the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, a 134 percent increase in program funding for forests since •2007, as can be seen in Figure 1.

The Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program’s funding for forests quadrupled. •The Conservation Stewardship Program enrolled more than 1 million forest acres, nearly reaching the 10 percent •enrollment cap for forests.

Forest Stewardship Program participation increased to nearly 16,000 landowners from 14,500 in 2007.•

Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program and Environmental Quality Incentives Program funds are helping improve

the health of America’s forestland and wildlife habitat largely through reforestation (site preparation and tree

establishment), wildlife thinnings and improved species composition and balance (forest stand improvement), and


protection against catastrophic wildfire (firebreaks) (see Figures 2 and 3). In 2009, more than 5,000 landowners

(1,364 WHIP participants and 3,912 EQIP participants) were able to reforest their properties through site

preparation and tree establishment. Interviews with landowners highlighted successes in reforesting abandoned

farmland and mines, and improving water quality for wildlife and fisheries, including salmon.

Figure 1. WHIP and EQIP forestry funding, 2007–2009

Trend in WHIP and EQIP Funding of Forestry Practices

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

Mill

ion

s

WHIP Forestry Investment EQIP Forestry Investment

20072008

2009

2009

2008

2007

Source: Natural Resources Conservation Service

Figure 2. Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program and Environmental Quality Incentives Program top forest

practices based on project numbers, 2009

Practice

WHIP WHIP EQIP EQIP

Contracts Acreage Contracts Acreage

Firebreak 316 1,580,327 ft 531 2,950,654 ft

Written forest management plan 0 N/A 13 N/A

Forest slash treatment 9 152 567 13,435

Forest stand improvement 533 12,116 3,400 72,652

Forest trails and landings 36 164 216 4,398

Hedgerow planting 135 201,751 ft 81 83,266 ft

Prescribed burning 465 16,700 717 37,187

Riparian forest buffer 48 112 265 1,143

Tree or shrub establishment 849 4,796 2,166 43,138

Tree or shrub pruning 11 105 338 6,558

Tree or shrub site preparation 515 7,893 1,746 44,835

Windbreak or shelterbelt establishment 109 233,890 ft 932 1,857,692 ft

Windbreak or shelterbelt renovation 5 2,545 ft 125 288,798 ft



Figure 3. Top EQIP and WHIP practices based on funding, 2009

Practice EQIP Funding WHIP Funding

Tree or shrub site preparation $17,518,299 $1,865,998

Forest stand improvement $12,464,812 $3,312,798

Tree or shrub planting $6,172,972 $4,800,610

Windbreak or shelterbelt establishment $6,045,192 $588,001

Firebreak $1,116,900 $1,836,657

Forest trails and landings $1,709,108 $457,591

Windbreak or shelterbelt renovation $1,501,405 $102,430

Tree or shrub pruning $1,230,323 $42,454

Riparian forest buffer $611,855 $819,567

Silvopasture establishment $126,620 $0


Funding for forestry practices and improvements varies widely among the states, however, even accounting

for the difference between states in forested area (see Figure 4). Such disparities suggest that recruitment of

participants remains a challenge, and that outreach to state agency staff and un-enrolled landowners needs to

be improved.

Figure 4. Funding for forestry provided through Environmental Quality Incentives Program, by state, 2009

State FundingPercentage of State’s EQIP

Funds for Forestry

Alaska $3,072,284 71.65

Alabama $2,470,310 19.92

Illinois $1,896,976 16.76

New Hampshire $750,885 16.72

Ohio $1,568,049 10.67

Washington $1,153,109 8.56

Mississippi $943,265 7.91

Colorado $1,602,838 6.76

Arkansas $925,827 6.66

Virginia $672,046 6.43

Maine $560,978 6.40

Georgia $922,930 6.26

Montana $1,227,421 5.79

Oregon $651,296 5.76

Missouri $983,917 5.52

Texas $3,408,437 5.31

North Dakota $995,843 4.99

California $2,749,510 4.81


State FundingPercentage of State’s EQIP

Funds for Forestry

Oklahoma $969,072 4.64

South Dakota $583,583 4.12

Kentucky $404,099 3.87

Indiana $430,859 3.83

South Carolina $279,367 3.74

New Mexico $591,947 3.38

Nebraska $709,778 3.31

New York $422,763 3.17

Hawaii $171,366 2.71

Louisiana $402,261 2.60

Wisconsin $423,990 2.59

Idaho $272,579 2.51

Pennsylvania $319,957 2.50

Florida $381,565 2.32

North Carolina $317,767 2.31

Maryland $152,721 2.23

Massachusetts $107,714 2.10

Delaware $109,725 1.97

Arizona $324,746 1.92

Minnesota $494,026 1.86

Iowa $330,782 1.64

Vermont $107,727 1.57

West Virginia $71,454 1.26

Michigan $133,844 0.89

Rhode Island $29,468 0.87

New Jersey $31,310 0.67

Wyoming $55,123 0.50

Tennessee $51,796 0.45

Utah $60,527 0.41

Kansas $61,938 0.33

Connecticut $12,041 0.25

Nevada $2,918 0.05


The CSP reaches fewer landowners than EQIP and WHIP. However, now that CSP has added forestland owners

to its contract mix, forestland acreage nationwide accounts for more than 1.1 million acres, or 9 percent of all

acreage, almost reaching the forested acreage limit set in the 2008 Farm Bill of 10 percent (see Figure 5). With

CSP cost-share funds, family forest participants have largely focused on forest stand improvement (see Figure 6).

Figure 4 continued


Figure 5. Conservation Stewardship Program enrolled acreage by type, 2009.

Pastureland6%

Non-industrialprivate forestland

9%

Cropland39%

Rangeland46%


Figure 6. Most common Conservation Stewardship Program forestry practices, through July 2010

Practice Projects

Forest stand improvement for habitat and soil quality 361

Riparian forest buffer for terrestrial and aquatic wildlife habitat 123

Hardwood crop tree release 116

Prescribed burning for forest stand improvement 103

Firebreak 91


Figure 7. States with most forest acres enrolled in Conservation Stewardship Program

State Acres

Percent of National

Forest Acreage

Total Private Forest

Acreage in State in

Millions

Alabama 172,626 14.8 22.7

Alaska 171,627 14.7 not available

South Carolina 107,529 9.2 12.8

Oregon 75,943 6.5 11.4

Texas 69,360 5.9 56.5

Sources: Natural Resources Conservation Service and Forest Inventory and Analysis Program


The CSP, meanwhile, has experienced dramatic volatility in new forest acreage enrolled. After doubling in 2008,

acreage dropped more than 70 percent in 2009. While precise priorities shift from year to year, favored practices

include field windbreaks, wetland restoration, planting of riparian buffers, and reforestation of highly erodible

lands (Figure 8). The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program has been successful in taking environmentally

sensitive land out of crop production in order to reduce runoff and erosion. In 2009, nearly 8,500 acres were

enrolled in the program, leading to wetland restoration, riparian buffer planting, and the establishment of new pine

forests.

Figure 8. Conservation Reserve Program enrolled forest acreage, 2007–2009

2007 2008 2009

Field windbreaks 36,520 114,433 16,405

Non-longleaf softwoods 24,493 25,890 32,509

Riparian buffers 9,443 9,063 15,530

Wetland buffers 6,828 4,551 4,368

Other practices 59,180 113,117 8,417

Total forest acreage 136,464 267,054 77,229

Source: Farm Service Agency

The U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Stewardship Program (FSP) has shown steady growth in its outreach to

landowners, bringing in approximately 16,000 new landowners and 2 million new acres under management in

2009 (Figure 9). Altogether, 18.6 million acres are currently being managed under FSP plans. Given the 10 million

private forest owners in the nation, however, there is still considerable potential for growth.

Figure 9. Forest Stewardship Program participation, 2007–2009

2007 2008 2009

Plans written 14,589 14,231 15,902

Acres under new or rewritten management plans 1,878,654 1,747,812 2,076,272

Source: U.S. Forest Service

The 2008 Farm Bill required for the first time family forest owner representation on State Technical Committees.

Our review found that the states have largely complied with this provision. At least 42 states have implemented this

requirement, so family forest owner views are beginning to be reflected in program requirements and rules.

Family Forest Case StudiesFor this study, we conducted interviews with landowners to gather qualtitative data on how the programs are

working for family forest owners. We are highlighting the expereicnes of six family forest landowners, all of whom

have a strong commitment to their land and to sustainable forest management practices. They are members of the

American Tree Farm System®, the third-party sustainable forest certification program of AFF.


Wildlife and Timber

earl smithizard County, arkansasEarl Smith manages 1,600 acres of forestland and 200 acres of hayfields in Izard

County, Arkansas. His goals are to manage for wildlife, especially deer, turkey,

and quail; and timber — mixed hardwoods and pine.

“Farm Bill programs are incredibly helpful for landowners who want to make

conservation improvements. Given that most make very little off our land except

maybe once or twice a generation, these improvements are often difficult to

afford,” stated Smith.

From 2005 to 2008, Smith used EQIP and WHIP funds to plant trees, as well as

to improve logging and access roads to prevent soil erosion. With his tree planting, he created better

habitat for deer, turkey, and quail on his property. Earl gives EQIP excellent marks but notes that in

EQIP and all other programs, it is difficult to get cost-sharing assistance for roads, especially new

roads. Roads tend to be one of the most costly maintenance demands for family forest owners, which

also have the potential to cause the most water quality impacts if not managed properly. He wants his

new roads and lanes to be environmentally sound too, and believes they should qualify under these

programs.

In 2009, Smith began participating in CSP but has had difficulty getting questions answered. Still, he

signed up for a hardwood crop tree release — allowing him to improve the health of his forest and

increase its future timber value.


Restoring an Abandoned Strip Mine

Gary GilmoreClearfieldCounty,PennsylvaniaGary Gilmore owns 130 acres in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. The land

includes an old strip mine that pollutes nearby streams, which eventually flow to

the Susquehanna River. Previous efforts to rehabilitate the land were stymied by

compacted soil and heavy grass cover that makes it very difficult and costly to

establish trees.

Gilmore enrolled in CSP and WHIP. With his WHIP contract, he will have the

resources to grow a new forest on the abandoned mine land — cleaning the

water and allowing wildlife to return to the area.

With his CSP contract Gary will receive payments for continuing good stewardship of the land while

completing two enhancements to expand production of nontimber forest products (ginseng and

maple syrup) and improve the growth of his hardwood trees.

Some CSP activities were puzzling to this trained forester. “Not a lot of the CSP enhancements

made sense in Pennsylvania,” Gary observed. “Things like the large dead down tree guidelines

were not very realistic. The program requirements seem to be written by people who don’t get their

boots muddy,” Gilmore said. “We need field people involved in the program’s development and

implementation.”


Restoring Forest Health

al robertsonCaledonia County, vermontAl Robertson owns 65 acres of boreal forest in Caledonia County, Vermont. From

the 1930s until the 1950s, the forest was stripped of its high-value trees, with

low-quality trees filling the void. After purchasing the land in 1979, Robertson

began improving the timber stands by building a system of trails that allowed him

access to gradually weed out sick trees and return the forest to a healthy balance.

Robertson enrolled in EQIP in 2009 so he could upgrade his management plan

to a sustainable forest management plan, based on AFF’s new Standards of

Sustainability for Forest Certification.

“I want my land to be managed to the highest conservation standards there are, and with EQIP funds

I am able to plot that direction for my land,” stated Robertson.

While the process for his application and contract has been smooth, Robertson noted that there is

a lack of Technical Service Providers (TSPs) in Vermont, as is the case in other New England states.

What results is a lack of participation in EQIP programs because TSPs are not available to reach out

to landowners and promote the programs. Most of the landowners enrolled have more experience

and knowledge so they can “fend for themselves.” An agreement between NRCS and the Vermont

Division of Forestry allows county foresters to review and certify management plans, but the state has

very few county foresters, who are being stretched thin. In fact, several counties share one forester.


Supporting Good Management When Timber Markets Are Tough

John and Dani KellerCowlitz County, WashingtonJohn and Dani Keller own 128 acres of forest in Cowlitz County, Washington; the

land has been in his family for three generations. With timber markets at an all

time low, John and his family have little income coming in to support good forest

management. In this time of economic struggle, the Kellers have used EQIP

funds to control harmful invasive species, create snags as habitat for northern

pygmy owls and woodpeckers, and improve roads to control soil erosion that

harms water quality in the Kalama River, which is a breeding ground for several

salmon species.

“I couldn’t have done the project without the cost-share program; it made the

project financially feasible,” said Keller.

A forester, Keller first applied for EQIP funds for 2004–2005, but was not approved. He kept his

application active, and in 2007 it was re-evaluated and accepted for funding. He said, “We’ve seen a

great improvement in the field, as forestry becomes more of a central goal of the USDA programs. In

Washington, some EQIP local working groups have recommended setting aside a certain percentage

of the funding specifically for forest landowners.”

Keller believes the process could use some improvements, however. He found the forms very

technical — and many questions would be difficult for non-professional foresters to interpret — and

items more suited for other regions of the country. The local NRCS staff was helpful, however, and

guided him through the technical specifications and requisite forms. He said, “Certainly paperwork

is necessary for proper accounting and eligibility determinations; I just want to be able to understand

what I am expected to sign.”


Abandoned Agriculture Land Restoration

David and Carole CartwrightChisago County, MinnesotaSeven years ago, David and Carole Cartwright began turning a defunct 160-

acre dairy farm in Chisago County, Minnesota back to a mixed hardwood forest,

which they intend to leave to their children. So far, CRP allowed the Cartwrights

to plant several hundred trees, of the more than 21,000 they planted in total.

In 2007, they were the Chisago County Soil and Water Conservation District

Conservationists of the year, and in 2008, they were named the Southern

Minnesota Region Tree Farmers of the Year by the American Tree Farm System®.

With funding from CRP and EQIP, the Cartwrights restored four acres of

wetlands, and removed invasive species including buckthorn, honeysuckle, and

Asiatic bittersweet vine on 20 acres.

“We believe in being good stewards of the land and CRP and EQIP helped us accomplish our goals.

With these funds we improved the quality of the water, which thousands of people rely on and

sequestered carbon, helping contribute to our nation’s climate change mitigation” stated David

Cartwright.

While the Cartwrights are thankful for the assistance they received, they noted the gap between the

cost of measures required by the programs and the reimbursements could be a deterrent for other

landowners. EQIP reimbursed just 11 percent of the contract labor cost, and nothing for herbicides

or power equipment. David and Carole also improved 7.5 acres along a lakeshore, for which CRP

reimbursed 16 percent of the $10,375 cost, not counting materials. The $395 they receive per year to

maintain this lakeshore buffer represents no more than 10 percent of the actual cost.

The Cartwrights lament that both programs apparently aim to increase tree density rather than to

further such goals as transitioning to a natural mix of native trees that will have long-term value as

timber and wildlife habitat. Despite these shortcomings, they are pleased with the transformation they

have already seen on their land.


Restoration for Environmental Quality

Dwight and Judy BattsWilson County, north CarolinaDwight and Judy Batts are second generation owners of three tracts of forest

totaling 375 acres in Wilson County, North Carolina. Dwight’s father owned the

land previously and had 84 acres in CRP in the mid-1980s.

“Until the 2008 Farm Bill, we only participated in CREP and CRP on our property.

With the new EQIP opportunities, we can afford to improve fire lanes to better

protect our property and adjoining properties from wildfires, improve habitat

for ducks, bluebirds, and quail, and rid the property of invasive rhizomatous

bamboo.”

Re-enrolling the property in CREP, Baker was able to plant over nine acres of native longleaf pine and

hardwoods, seven of which are going into permanent conservation easements, protecting the land

from development in one of the fastest growing states in the nation. He also used CRP to plant 14

acres of longleaf with cost share dollars.

While Baker is very happy with the partnership he has forged with NRCS, he still thinks there are

opportunities to streamline implementation. “I have a very good management plan that’s approved by

the third-party certification system, the American Tree Farm System®, yet for EQIP I needed another

plan. This is time intensive and a waste of resources that can be better spent on the ground” Baker

noted.

Despite these issues, Baker said, “Two-thirds of the activities that I have done through my EQIP

contract, I would not have done without the cost share assistance provided in the Farm Bill programs.

The programs have their challenges, but given time they will flourish, just as the forests have.”


recommendations for improving implementation of 2008 Farm Bill ProgramsThe 2008 Farm Bill provided conservation programs for family forest owners, and the agencies have done

significant work to implement these programs. Nevertheless, the data analysis and landowner interviews

demonstrate more can be done to improve implementation and encourage greater participation of family forest

owners to accomplish conservation goals. Improvements can be made in the following three areas:

1. On-the-Ground Technical AssistanceIncrease the number of Technical Service Providers by streamlining the certification process for forestry •professionals that are already professionally certified or trained in forestry practices and standards.

Improve outreach to non-enrolled landowners and foresters to increase interest and participation in forest •management programs.

2. Paperwork and Management PlansAcknowledge all credible forest management plans, including ATFS plans, in all programs to minimize •duplicate requirements on landowners.

Simplify applications and reduce unnecessary legalese that confuses landowners. •Develop more user-friendly guidelines for eligible forest management practices.•

3. Improve Federal and State Agency CoordinationInitiate the Forest Resources Coordinating Committee to ensure federal and state agencies efforts are •aligned.

Encourage states to set forestry as a priority, especially those states that have significant forestry issues but •funding for forests is currently minimal.

summaryFull incorporation of forestry into 2008 Farm Bill programs have had a strong beginning. While implementation

improvements still need to be made, the NRCS, Forest Service, and Farm Service Agency have been successful in

assisting private landowners in protecting and enhancing the public benefits their lands provide, from clean air and

water to wildlife habitat. Yet the size of these programs does not match the scope of the challenge before us. The

next Farm Bill should continue to support and expand opportunities for landowners as they seek to improve their

stewardship of America’s forests.

referencesSecretary Tom Vilsack. (August, 2010). America’s great outdoors listening session on private forests. Speech presented at the Grappone

Conference Center. Concord, New Hampshire.

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. (2009). Private forests, public benefits: increased housing density and other

pressures on private forest contributions (Publication No. PNWGTR-795).

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. (2008). Who owns America’s forests? (USDA Publication No. NRS-INF-06-08).

Forest Practices

alley cropping (agroforestry)

growing food, forage, or other crops

between hedgerows or rows of

planted shrubs or trees

controlled burn

the deliberate burning of wildland

fuels under specified environmental

conditions to attain planned

resource management objectives

crop tree

any tree selected to become a

component of a future commercial

harvest

firebreak

any natural or constructed

discontinuity in potential fuels that

segregates, stops, and controls the

spread of fire

fuelbreak

a wide strip of land on which native

vegetation has been permanently

modified so that a fire burning into

it can be more readily controlled

pole

a tree of a size between a sapling

and a mature tree

pre-commercial thinning

the removal of trees not for

immediate financial return but to

reduce stocking to concentrate

growth on the more desirable trees

release

a treatment designed to free young

trees from undesirable, usually

overtopping, competing vegetation

silvopasture (agroforestry)

the deliberate retention,

introduction, or mixture of trees or

other woody perennials in crop and

animal production systems

Source: Adapted from John A. Helms (ed.). (1998). The Dictionary of Forestry. Bethesda, MD: Society of American Foresters

The American Tree Farm System (ATFS) is a member of the PEFC Council. ATFS is the forest certification program of the American Forest Foundation.

Promoting sustainable forest management. For more information: www.pefc.org

W O R K I N G S O L U T I O N S F O R C O N S E R V A T I O N

1111 Nineteenth St, NW

Suite 780

Washington, DC 20036

202.463.2431

www.forestfoundation.org

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