Forest Land Enhancement Program (FLEP)
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Transcript Forest Land Enhancement Program (FLEP)
Private Sector Forester
Training
Fall 2003
Avon
Schenectady
Cortland
Fayetteville
3.5 SAF CFE Credits
Outline
Objectives
Resources and Program Objectives
Program Authority and Guidance
Technical Assistance – resources & goals
Educational Assistance – goals & tools
Financial Assistance – cost sharing
Who’s who
Eligibility
Approved Practices
Reimbursement procedure
Evaluation and CFE certificates
Objectives: Why are we here?
Understand program authority
Learn about the balance of program
Technical assistance (DEC and private sector)
Educational assistance (Cornell, NYFOA, DEC)
Cost share (DEC and NYWS)
Understand landowner eligibility
requirements
Discuss FLEP practices and cost share
procedures
FLEP Resources
Private Sector Forester Handbook (provided)
Regional DEC Field Offices
www.dec.state.ny.us
www.dnr.cornell.edu/ext/forestrypage
Forester’s FLEP handbook (provided)
Priority plan
FAQ (provided)
Landowner’s Guide (provided)
Transaction Application (provided)
Other educational materials
FLEP Goals
To promote sustainable forest management on
NIPF land
Secretary of Agriculture to provide financial
support to State Foresters
Balanced program – Technical, Educational and
Financial Assistance
FLEP Background
Federal - Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act
of 1978 as amended by the Farm Security
and Rural Reinvestment Act of 2002 (PL 107171)
Interim and Final Rule - Federal rule provides
details of program administration consistent
with statute
State Priority Plan (www.dec.state.ny.us)
developed by State Forester & State Forest
Stewardship Coordinating Committee
State Priority Plan
Roles & Responsibilities
State program Administration
Technical Assistance
Educational Assistance
Financial Assistance – Cost share
Eligibility Requirements
Application
Authorized Practices
Technical Assistance
17 FTE of DEC Service Foresters
2 FTE FLEP Foresters (Cornell & DEC)
100’s FTE private sector foresters
Assist with technical skills for landowners
Provide one-on-one learning
Feed back for refining program delivery
Cost-share activities plus additional landowner
activity (ice storm – 33% additional action)
Educational Assistance
Create awareness and interest
Complemented by broader education program
Landowner knowledge
Willingness to try “new” techniques
Receptive to adoption of “new” techniques
(see handout on educational program summary)
Roles and Responsibilities for
Cost Share Assistance
“DEC Service Representative” (service
forester)
Prepare LFSP & practice plans
Approve LFSP on behalf of State Forester
Conduct needs & compliance for C/S requests –
authorize obligation of funds and C/S payments
“Service Representative” (private forester)
Prepare LFSP & Practice plans
Provide professional services to landowners to
implement sustainable forestry practices
cont’d
Landowner
Have LFSP prepared
Install FLEP practice within approval period
per practice plan
Submit cost documentation to DEC Service
Rep.
Maintain practice
“Disbursement Administrator”
Obligate funds and remit C/S to landowners upon
DEC Service Rep. Authorization
Maintain financial and accomplishment records
Cost-share eligibility requirements
Non industrial private forest landowner
five (5) contiguous acres or more of forest land or
land suitable for establishment of forest
Landowner Forest Stewardship Plan (FLEP 2 – 10)
treatment of not more than a total of 50 acres of
land annually
Cap of $5,000 in FLEP cost share payments
annually or $25,000 in total through 2007
without regard to race, color, religion, national
origin, age, sex, disability, political belief, sexual
orientation, or marital or family status
Landowner Forest Stewardship Plans
State format adopted October 2000
Must be current (within planning horizon – 10
years) to be eligible to request financial
assistance
Approved by DEC
FLEP 1 for preparation of new plans or
enhancing other plans to LFSP format
www.dnr.cornell.edu/ext/stewardship
Authorized Practices
High Priority practices
FLEP 1 Landowner
Forest Stewardship
Planning
FLEP 3 Forest Stand
Improvement
FLEP 5 Water Quality
Improvement and
Watershed
Medium Priority Practices
FLEP 2 Reforestation
and Afforestation
FLEP 6 Fish and Wildlife
Habitat
FLEP 7 Forest Health
and Protection
FLEP 8 Invasive
Species Control
Low Priority Practices
FLEP 10 Fire and
Catastrophic Risk
Rehabilitation
Practices not available in
New York
FLEP 4 Agroforestry
FLEP 9 Fire and Catastrophic Risk Reduction
FLEP 11 Special Practices
Practice plans
Detailed information to enable land owner to install
practice properly
Prepared by private sector or DEC forester (LFSP
preparer)
LFSP may include all detailed information, separate
practice plan not necessary
Criteria to help determine proper installation
Include available publications,
specifications,diagrams, etc.
Application Process
Landowner to submit Application /
Transaction form to DEC Service Rep.
Approved LFSP required for FLEP 2-10
Practice plan required
DEC Service Rep.- authorize obligation
of funds to Disbursement Administrator
Disbursement Administrator informs LO
to commence installation of practice
cont’d
LO reports completion to DEC Service
Rep. with cost documentation
DEC Service Rep. certifies satisfactory
installation – authorizes C/S payment
Disbursement Administrator remits C/S
payment to LO
LO maintains practice for 10 years
POA should follow NYS guidelines
Approval Period
Practice may not be started before approval
Approval period – 6 months
Approval period up to 12 months for selected
practices – planting components
Up to 6 month extension – justification
submitted 15 days prior to termination date
Landowner to report completion with cost
documentation to DEC Service Rep.
Maintain practice
Cost Documentation
C/S 75% or 50% of actual cost not to exceed
cap
Landowner to provide bills, invoices, etc to DEC
Service Rep. with completion report
Landowner may submit LO work log to
document in kind service
FLEP 3 Tree designation – detailed or separate
invoice to differentiate from other costs
associated with harvest activity
FLEP
Promote sustainable forest
management activities on NIPF
lands with educational, technical
and financial assistance.