Transcript Western Washington NIPF Conversion to Non
12 th Annual
NIPF Foresters Workshop
The Family Forest Foundation
Steve Stinson, Executive Director
January 23 rd 2004 Westcoast Ridpath Hotel Spokane WA
Family Forest Foundation
Family Forest Foundation
Committed to the conservation and prosperity of the family forest
Mission:
To promote the conservation and prosperity of family forests Promote forests
regulatory stability
for family Broaden
consumer's awareness
of the public values provided by family forests Improve
market access
for products produced from family forests Establish an
enduring fiscal foundation
for the conservation of family forests Family Forest Foundation
Action Plan
Issue
: Increasing Regulatory Burdens
Goal
: Promote Regulatory Stability
Objective
: Family Forest Habitat Conservation Plan Family Forest Foundation
Endangered Species Act
Passed 1973 1263 US species listed as of August 12, 2003 In Washington State 26 Endangered 11 Threatened 10 Sensitive 118 Candidate Species Family Forest Foundation
Habitat Conservation Plan
In 1982, Congress amended the ESA and a provision in Section 10 that allows for the “incidental take” Incidental take – “incidental to and not the purpose of, the carrying out of an otherwise lawful activity” As of August 12, 2003 450 HCPs have been approved, not one for a Family Forest landowner Family Forest Foundation
Need for Family Forest HCP
Regulatory Instability
Case Study
Disproportionate
1
Impact of Broad brush
Forests and Fish Buffers
regulation
33 Acres (13 ha) 64% in Buffers
Time and Personnel N Expense
Streams Core Zone Inner Zone Outer Zone Property Boundary
400 0 400 800 Feet Family Forest Foundation
Streams
16,628 Miles of streams in Lewis County 1620 Miles on Family Forestland 493 Miles of potential fish bearing streams Family Forest Foundation
Family Forest Foundation
Family Forest Habitat Conservation Plan
First of its kind: multi-species, multi-landowner HCP Provides a scientifically credible long-term management plan Provides for regulatory stability and management flexibility Pilot project that could be used as a template throughout Washington State or the nation Family Forest Foundation
FFHCP Partners
Family Forest Foundation Lewis County US Fish and Wildlife Service NOAA Fisheries WA DNR Forest Practices Division WA DNR Stewardship Program Rural Technology Initiative WSU Cooperative Extension Cowlitz Tribe Chehalis Tribe Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Biota Pacific/R2 Perkins Coie Family Forest Foundation
How will it work?
Voluntary Participation Suite of scenarios to choose from Implementation Plan for specific properties Receive Certificate of Inclusion (Programmatic Approach) FFHCP prescriptions are substituted for the applicable Forest Practices Rules Family Forest Foundation
FFHCP Progress to date (cont.)
Relationship with Lewis County BOCC and legal counsel supports FFHCP concept County pursuing permit holder status Using Geographic Information Systems Developed database of family forest demographics Created a database on ecological characteristics of family forestland in Lewis County Family Forest Foundation
FFHCP Progress to date (cont.)
FFHCP project coordinator position has been funded in Lewis County Secured USFWS Section 6 funds for development of HCP document Secured Payment to County funds for Pilot Implementation Plans and coached planning courses Family Forest Foundation
What’s Next
Complete riparian and upland prescriptions Independent Scientific Panel Review of science supporting conservation measures Develop pilot implementation plans and coached planning sessions Complete and negotiate final HCP document Implement FFHCP in partnership with Lewis County Family Forest Foundation
Action Plan
Issue
: Loss of Markets for Wood Products
Goal
: Provide Market Access for Products from Family Forests
Objective
: Marketing Entity and/or Manufacturing Facility Family Forest Foundation
Marketing Feasibility Study
Questions: Can a coop improve market access?
Can a coop provide better services?
Can a coop reduce operating expenses?
Tasks: Landowner Survey Potential markets Business structure Supporting Resources Landowner outreach Visit forestry coops Feasibility study report Family Forest Foundation
Forestry Coops
Innovative technologies Direct marketing Product branding Equipment sharing Member owned Value-added processing Landowner services Eco-tourism Utilizing low-value species Family Forest Foundation
Forestry Coops Across the United States
Western Upper Peninsula Forest Improvement District Hancock, Michigan Overview: Began as state-funded agency in 1985 Currently a self-funded landowner coop Membership: 1,000 landowners (150,000 acres) All ownerships (20-15,000 acres) Improve high-graded forests Provide forest management and marketing services Family Forest Foundation
Forestry Coops Across the United States
Western Upper Peninsula Forest Improvement District Hancock, Michigan Strategies:
Began as state-funded pilot project
Regional approach to forest improvement Inventory forestlands Develop management plans Coordinate timber harvests
Manage sort yard/market logs
SFI certified Family Forest Foundation
Forestry Coops Across the United States
Western Upper Peninsula Forest Improvement District Hancock, Michigan Lessons learned:
Do not be grant dependant
Adequate membership dues Provide wider range of services to maintain landowner interest
Value-added processing may provide higher returns
Family Forest Foundation
Forestry Coops Across the United States North Quabbin Woods Orange, Massachusetts Overview:
Develop regional identity Develop brand recognition for regional forest products Market regionally labeled forest products
Eco-tourism Make connections between producer, manufacturers and consumers more efficient Landowner and public education programs Family Forest Foundation
Forestry Coops Across the United States North Quabbin Woods Orange, Massachusetts Strategies: Educational programs for landowners & public Eco-tourism Forest management planning
Administer “working forest conservation easements”
Family Forest Foundation
Forestry Coops Across the United States Vermont Family Forests Bristol, Vermont Overview:
Non-profit + LLC
Began as watershed organization Primary goal: healthy watersheds 31 parcels, 4,700 acres Educational programs Value-added processing
Seek high-end markets Market self-branded forest products
Family Forest Foundation
Forestry Coops
Summary
Utilize existing resources Innovative technologies
Eco-tourism Regional brand/identity Start slow, don’t over capitalize
Non-profit coop + for-profit LLC
Direct market to consumer
Don’t compete in commodity market
Database for tracking inventory Provide source of reliable management services Landowners must be involved in development of business plan
Don’t be grant dependent
Seek start-up funds from membership Value-added processing keeps more value in coop
Be creative with low-value species/grades
Family Forest Foundation
Next Steps
Complete Feasibility Study Quantify potential volume of products Develop Management Plans Research Potential Business Models and Investors Family Forest Foundation
Action Plan
Issue
: Rural/Urban Paradigm’s
Goal
: Broaden Consumers’ Perspective on Forestry Issues
Objective One Objective Two
: : Develop Series of White Papers Develop a Speakers Guild
Objective Three
: Foster the Development of Forest Policy Family Forest Foundation
How Many Family Forest Landowners Are There?
22,000 in county forest tax classification An estimated 2.6 million acres unaccounted for Average parcel size from tabular data set is 43 acres Approximately 65,000 additional owners
An estimated 97,000 family forest owners in WA
Family Forest Foundation
Accuracy of GIS Reporting
Family Forest Foundation
Western Washington NIPF Conversion to Non-forest Use 100 Acres a Day 56 Square Miles a Year
Source:
WA Department of Natural Resources 1998. Our Changing Nature. WA Department of Natural Resources, Olympia WA Family Forest Foundation
What Makes Family Forest Landowners Unique?
Location of ownership Urban/Rural interface Lower in watershed Scale of ownership Economies of scale increase operations cost No Staff for technical, legal, financial advice Disproportionately impacted by “broad brush” Forest Practices Regulations Family Forest Foundation
What Makes Family Forest
Landowners Unique? (cont.)
Diverse Management Styles Not constrained by corporate profit standards Many reason for owning forestland – love of land, heritage, legacy, investment, wildlife, recreation Longer rotations and smaller harvest units Generational change fragments ownership (every 30 years on average) 90% of currently listed endangered species depend on private forestland for some of their habitat needs Family Forest Foundation
Family Forest Foundation
Lewis County NIPF Landowners
2169 NIPF Landowners 136,353 Acres Ownership Acreage <21 Acres: 21-50 Acres: 51-100 Acres: 101-500 Acres: >500 Acres: Target Audience >50 Acres 556 NIPF Landowners 56,481 Acres 29% 31% 19% 18% 3% Family Forest Foundation
LC Forest Landowner Survey
Reason for owning forest land
Privacy Enhance quantity of timber Enhance quality of timber Long-term investment Recreation Long-term income Immediate income Non-timber products Protection of biological diversity Legacy Home/vacation home Development Scenic/asethetic 0% 67% 62% 74% 86% 39% 84% 35% 14% 72% 80% 56% 30% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Percent high/moderate priority
70% 80% 82% 90% Family Forest Foundation
LC Forest Landowner Survey
Level of interest in improving forest management
Thinning to improve forest health Growing older trees if economics incentives are present Coordinateing with other landowners Protecting sensitive sites Timing timber harvest to benefit wildlife Receiving assistance 84% 69% 47% 49% 61% 60% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
% strong or moderate interest
Family Forest Foundation
LC Forest Landowner Survey
Age of owner
90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 20-30 31-40 41-50 Family Forest Foundation 51-60 61-70 71-80 80+
Action Plan
Issue
: Financially Stable Entity is Needed to Ensure Long-term Maintenance of Family Forest Conservation Efforts
Goal
: Create a Sufficient Endowment and Matching Grant Fund
Objective
Forests : Provide a Financially Stable Resource to Promote the Conservation of Family Family Forest Foundation
Family Forest Foundation Fund Raising
Regulatory Stability (FFHCP) 2001 Interior Appropriations 2003 USFWS Sec 6 Funds 2003 WA DNR 2003 Lewis County Family Forest Foundation
Family Forest Foundation Fund Raising
Market Access USDA Cooperative Feasibility Study Consumer Awareness Weyerhaeuser Foundation Outreach Locally contributed Matching Funds Endowment Fund Family Forest Foundation
Criteria For Successful Family Forest Management Policy
Family Forest Foundation
Family Forest Foundation Board of Directors Contact the Foundation at www.familyforestfoundation.org
PO Box 1364 Chehalis, WA 98532 Phone: 360-345-0123 or e-mail at [email protected]
Family Forest Foundation