1 / 23

Private Sector Forester Training Fall 2003 Avon Schenectady Cortland Fayetteville

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

argyle
Download Presentation

Private Sector Forester Training Fall 2003 Avon Schenectady Cortland Fayetteville

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Private Sector Forester Training Fall 2003 Avon Schenectady Cortland Fayetteville 3.5 SAF CFE Credits

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. FLEP Background • Federal - Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 as amended by the Farm Security and Rural Reinvestment Act of 2002 (PL 107-171) • 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

  7. State Priority Plan • Roles & Responsibilities • State program Administration • Technical Assistance • Educational Assistance • Financial Assistance – Cost share • Eligibility Requirements • Application • Authorized Practices

  8. 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)

  9. 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)

  10. Roles and Responsibilities forCost 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

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. Authorized Practices High Priority practices • FLEP 1 Landowner Forest Stewardship Planning • FLEP 3 Forest Stand Improvement • FLEP 5 Water Quality Improvement and Watershed

  15. 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

  16. Low Priority Practices • FLEP 10 Fire and Catastrophic Risk Rehabilitation

  17. Practices not available in New York • FLEP 4 Agroforestry • FLEP 9 Fire and Catastrophic Risk Reduction • FLEP 11 Special Practices

  18. 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.

  19. 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

  20. 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

  21. 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

  22. 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

  23. FLEPPromote sustainable forest management activities on NIPF lands with educational, technical and financial assistance.

More Related