COMMUNITY FOREST PROGRAM


Communities and private landowners across the country are embracing the U.S. Forest Service’s Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program (Community Forest Program), a program designed to manage private property for public access and the good of the community.

The Community Forest Program complements conservation districts’ efforts to conserve and promote healthy environments, whether it is soils, water, forests or wildlife, and develop locally-driven solutions to natural resource concerns.

The program was created in the 2008 Farm Bill and implemented in 2012 to establish community-owned and managed forest land nationwide that provide public benefits. Program funding depends on Congress. In 2015-17, Congress appropriated $2 million annually. Last year, the funding increased to $4 million. Read more >>>


FIVE WAYS CONSERVATION DISTRICTS CAN ASSIST CFP

From the application process to providing ongoing technical assistance, conservation districts have several opportunities to participate in the Community Forest Program at different levels.

Here are five things that conservation districts can do to assist or help establish community forests in their area:

  1. Engage communities and assist them in developing an application that reflects the needs and priorities of the community and draws on local knowledge.

  2. Offer to provide technical expertise throughout the application process.

  3. Work with the recipient of a community forest to develop the community forest plan, including providing technical assistance.

  4. Work with community forests to educate landowners about forest management through demonstrations and site visits to community forests.

  5. Provide additional resources on regulations, plan development and different options for the land use.

Read more on NACD's blog.


DISTRICT FINDS WAYS TO ASSIST CFP IN WASHINGTON

A 2008 wildfire that began with a lightning strike on Mt. Adams and moved toward nearby rural communities sparked a movement to find innovative ways to address fire risk and protect forest health in the Mt. Adams area of southern Washington. Those conversations grew into the Mt. Adams Community Forest, which benefited from the Community Forest Program, a newer program provided through the U.S. Forest Service that has opportunities to connect with local conservation districts.

The Mt. Adams Community Forest provides jobs associated with local mills, guarantees access for traditional uses such as fishing and hunting, and also preserves the rural character of the area, which is beneficial to local residents and visitors.

There also have been economic benefits. According to a 2014-2017 economic and community development impact report released by the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) last year, the community forest has protected 389 acres of working forest land from conversion; treated 424 acres of community forest and federal lands for fuels reduction with prescribed burns, generating $1.7 million in revenues for supporting living-wage jobs and forest stewardship efforts; recorded $8 million in countywide economic benefits; and supplied 59 months of full-time employment opportunities created within Klickitat County. Read more >>>


FORESTRY NOTES Q&A: NIFA NATIONAL PROGRAM LEADER ERIC NORLAND

Dr. Eric Norland provides national leadership for forest resource management, forest sustainability and agroforestry research and extension programs; the Renewable Resources Extension Act (RREA) Program, which provides funding to 73 land-grant institutions for Extension forest and rangeland resources programs; and the national network of Extension Forestry Program Leaders, Specialists, and Educators. Prior to joining NIFA, he served as the County Extension Agent, District Extension Specialist and State Extension Program Leader for Natural Resources for Ohio State University Extension Service.

Norland took the time to sit down with NACD Forestry Notes to talk more about NIFA and the role of Extension foresters.


BIG THOMPSON CONSERVATION DISTRICT HELPING TO IMPROVE COLORADO’S FORESTS


Colorado’s Big Thompson Conservation District is using a technical assistance grant from the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to grow its Healthy Forest Initiative program with new staff and new projects.

Designed to add capacity at the local level to provide more assistance to landowners, the grant allowed the district to hire Matthew Marshall in 2018 as a full-time forester to serve Larimer and Weld Counties. By focusing on forest management that will provide a multi-resource benefit, Marshall has identified forestry projects that can carry the district into 2023. Read more on NACD’s blog.


NACD DISCUSSES NATURAL RESOURCES, PARTNERSHIP WITH NWTF

In February, NACD First Vice President Michael Crowder and Forestry Resource Policy Group (RPG) and NACD Executive Board Southeast Region Representative Gary Blair attended the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF)’s 2019 Conservation Conference and Convention in Nashville, Tenn.


During the two-day conservation conference portion of the convention, Crowder presented on the water conservation track, and Blair presented on the forest and land management track. The convention was well-attended, with representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and many state and local agencies.

Meeting attendees included U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, NRCS Chief Matt Lohr and U.S. Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen. During NACD’s 2018 Summer Meeting in Williamsburg, Va., NACD and NWTF signed a memorandum of understanding regarding cooperation with wildlife habitat and conservation issues.


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