Transcript Forest Land Enhancement Program (FLEP)

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