ENHANCED CONSERVATION OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO NONINDUSTRIAL PRIVATELY OWNED FORESTLAND

April 10, 2009

For More Information:
Carrie Mosley, 406-587-6967
Robert Logar, 406-587-6838

Missoula--Representatives of several government agencies and conservation groups held a preliminary meeting this week in Missoula to review changes in the Farm Bill pertaining to conservation program availability for nonindustrial private forested landowners. Joyce Swartzendruber, Montana State Conservationists, said, “the 2008 Farm Bill has established a new conservation emphasis on actively managing privately owned nonindustrial forestland and has designated funding programs to support that focus.”

The meeting represented a beginning step toward creation of the “Forests in the Farm Bill Coalition,” organized to cooperatively address available options for implementation of conservation programs on privately owned forestlands. Montana is one of five states participating in a pilot program to develop working partnerships between agencies involved in conservation activities. The other selected states include Minnesota, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina.

Participants in the Montana planning meeting represented the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)-Montana, Montana Association of Conservation Districts, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Montana Division of Forestry, Montana State University Extension Service-Forestry, National Association of State Foresters, USDA Forest Service (Intermountain Division), USDA Farm Service Agency, American Forest Foundation (AFF), and the AFF Tree Farm State Committee.

Peter Kolb, representing the Montana State University Extension Service-Forestry, told the meeting that, in Montana, 30 percent of the wood raw materials required by the wood products infrastructure come from forested land owned by nonindustrial private landowners. Kolb and other speakers emphasized the need for private landowners, no matter the size of their forested property, to develop land-use plans.

Carrie Mosley, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs, NRCS-Montana, outlined 2008 Farm Bill conservation programs applicable to privately owned forested land. She identified the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP), Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP), and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) as applicable programs.

Mosley said that while 60 percent of EQIP funds are allocated to livestock production-related conservation efforts, nonindustrial private forested landowners are now eligible to apply to implement one or more conservation programs. Applications for EQIP are accepted throughout the year. Mosley said WHIP offers assistance to develop wildlife habitat protection on agricultural, nonindustrial privately owned forestland and tribal lands in Montana. She said CSP focuses on additional conservation activities with an enhanced emphasis on nonindustrial privately owned forestland.

The Montana Coalition Group will again convene in late May to develop specific plans for cooperative education and outreach efforts.

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