Private Sector ForesterTraining

Fall 2003

AvonSchenectadyCortlandFayetteville

3.5 SAF CFE Credits

OutlineOutline

ObjectivesObjectives Resources and Program ObjectivesResources and Program Objectives Program Authority and GuidanceProgram Authority and Guidance Technical Assistance – resources & goalsTechnical Assistance – resources & goals Educational Assistance – goals & toolsEducational Assistance – goals & tools Financial Assistance – cost sharingFinancial Assistance – cost sharing

Who’s whoWho’s who EligibilityEligibility Approved PracticesApproved Practices Reimbursement procedureReimbursement procedure

Evaluation and CFE certificatesEvaluation and CFE certificates

Objectives: Why are we here?Objectives: Why are we here?

Understand program authorityUnderstand program authority Learn about the balance of programLearn about the balance of program

Technical assistance (DEC and private sector)Technical assistance (DEC and private sector) Educational assistance (Cornell, NYFOA, DEC)Educational assistance (Cornell, NYFOA, DEC) Cost share (DEC and NYWS)Cost share (DEC and NYWS)

Understand landowner eligibility Understand landowner eligibility requirementsrequirements

Discuss FLEP practices and cost share Discuss FLEP practices and cost share proceduresprocedures

FLEP ResourcesFLEP Resources

Private Sector Forester Handbook (provided)Private Sector Forester Handbook (provided) Regional DEC Field OfficesRegional DEC Field Offices www.dec.state.ny.uswww.dec.state.ny.us www.dnr.cornell.edu/ext/forestrypagewww.dnr.cornell.edu/ext/forestrypage

Forester’s FLEP handbook (provided)Forester’s FLEP handbook (provided) Priority planPriority plan FAQ (provided)FAQ (provided) Landowner’s Guide (provided)Landowner’s Guide (provided) Transaction Application (provided)Transaction Application (provided) Other educational materialsOther educational materials

FLEP GoalsFLEP Goals

To promote sustainable forest management on To promote sustainable forest management on NIPF landNIPF land

Secretary of Agriculture to provide financial Secretary of Agriculture to provide financial support to State Foresterssupport to State Foresters

Balanced program – Technical, Educational and Balanced program – Technical, Educational and Financial Assistance Financial Assistance

FLEP BackgroundFLEP Background Federal - Cooperative Forestry Assistance Federal - Cooperative Forestry Assistance

Act of 1978 as amended by the Farm Security Act of 1978 as amended by the Farm Security and Rural Reinvestment Act of 2002 (PL 107-and Rural Reinvestment Act of 2002 (PL 107-171)171)

Interim and Final Rule - Federal rule provides Interim and Final Rule - Federal rule provides details of program administration consistent details of program administration consistent with statutewith statute

State Priority Plan State Priority Plan ((www.dec.state.ny.uswww.dec.state.ny.us) )

developed by State Forester & State Forest developed by State Forester & State Forest Stewardship Coordinating CommitteeStewardship Coordinating Committee

State Priority PlanState Priority Plan

Roles & ResponsibilitiesRoles & Responsibilities State program AdministrationState program Administration Technical AssistanceTechnical Assistance Educational AssistanceEducational Assistance Financial Assistance – Cost shareFinancial Assistance – Cost share Eligibility RequirementsEligibility Requirements ApplicationApplication Authorized PracticesAuthorized Practices

Technical AssistanceTechnical Assistance

17 FTE of DEC Service Foresters17 FTE of DEC Service Foresters 2 FTE FLEP Foresters (Cornell & DEC)2 FTE FLEP Foresters (Cornell & DEC) 100’s FTE private sector foresters100’s FTE private sector foresters

Assist with technical skills for landownersAssist with technical skills for landowners Provide one-on-one learning Provide one-on-one learning Feed back for refining program deliveryFeed back for refining program delivery Cost-share activities plus additional landowner Cost-share activities plus additional landowner

activity (ice storm – 33% additional action)activity (ice storm – 33% additional action)

Educational AssistanceEducational Assistance

Create awareness and interestCreate awareness and interest Complemented by broader education programComplemented by broader education program

Landowner knowledgeLandowner knowledge Willingness to try “new” techniquesWillingness to try “new” techniques Receptive to adoption of “new” techniquesReceptive to adoption of “new” techniques

(see handout on educational program summary)(see handout on educational program summary)

Roles and Responsibilities forRoles and Responsibilities forCost Share AssistanceCost Share Assistance

““DEC Service Representative” (service DEC Service Representative” (service forester)forester) Prepare LFSP & practice plansPrepare LFSP & practice plans Approve LFSP on behalf of State ForesterApprove LFSP on behalf of State Forester Conduct needs & compliance for C/S requests –Conduct needs & compliance for C/S requests –

authorize obligation of funds and C/S paymentsauthorize obligation of funds and C/S payments

““Service Representative” (private forester)Service Representative” (private forester) Prepare LFSP & Practice plansPrepare LFSP & Practice plans Provide professional services to landowners to Provide professional services to landowners to

implement sustainable forestry practices implement sustainable forestry practices

cont’dcont’d

LandownerLandowner Have LFSP preparedHave LFSP prepared Install FLEP practice within approval period Install FLEP practice within approval period

per practice planper practice plan Submit cost documentation to DEC Service Submit cost documentation to DEC Service

Rep.Rep. Maintain practiceMaintain practice

““Disbursement Administrator”Disbursement Administrator” Obligate funds and remit C/S to landowners upon Obligate funds and remit C/S to landowners upon

DEC Service Rep. AuthorizationDEC Service Rep. Authorization Maintain financial and accomplishment recordsMaintain financial and accomplishment records

Cost-share eligibility requirementsCost-share eligibility requirements Non industrial private forest landownerNon industrial private forest landowner five (5) contiguous acres or more of forest land or five (5) contiguous acres or more of forest land or

land suitable for establishment of forestland suitable for establishment of forest Landowner Forest Stewardship Plan (FLEP 2 – 10)Landowner Forest Stewardship Plan (FLEP 2 – 10) treatment of not more than a total of 50 acres of treatment of not more than a total of 50 acres of

land annuallyland annually Cap of $5,000 in FLEP cost share payments Cap of $5,000 in FLEP cost share payments

annually or $25,000 in total through 2007annually or $25,000 in total through 2007 without regard to race, color, religion, national without regard to race, color, religion, national

origin, age, sex, disability, political belief, sexual origin, age, sex, disability, political belief, sexual orientation, or marital or family statusorientation, or marital or family status

Landowner Forest Stewardship PlansLandowner Forest Stewardship Plans

State format adopted October 2000State format adopted October 2000 Must be current (within planning horizon – 10 Must be current (within planning horizon – 10

years) to be eligible to request financial years) to be eligible to request financial assistanceassistance

Approved by DECApproved by DEC FLEP 1 for preparation of new plans or FLEP 1 for preparation of new plans or

enhancing other plans to LFSP formatenhancing other plans to LFSP format

www.dnr.cornell.edu/ext/stewardshipwww.dnr.cornell.edu/ext/stewardship

Authorized PracticesAuthorized Practices

High Priority practicesHigh Priority practices

FLEP 1 Landowner FLEP 1 Landowner Forest Stewardship Forest Stewardship PlanningPlanning

FLEP 3 Forest Stand FLEP 3 Forest Stand ImprovementImprovement

FLEP 5 Water Quality FLEP 5 Water Quality Improvement and Improvement and Watershed Watershed

Medium Priority PracticesMedium Priority Practices

FLEP 2 Reforestation FLEP 2 Reforestation and Afforestationand Afforestation

FLEP 6 Fish and Wildlife FLEP 6 Fish and Wildlife HabitatHabitat

FLEP 7 Forest Health FLEP 7 Forest Health and Protectionand Protection

FLEP 8 Invasive FLEP 8 Invasive Species ControlSpecies Control

FLEP 10 Fire and FLEP 10 Fire and Catastrophic Risk Catastrophic Risk RehabilitationRehabilitation

Low Priority PracticesLow Priority Practices

Practices not available in Practices not available in New YorkNew York

FLEP 4 AgroforestryFLEP 4 Agroforestry FLEP 9 Fire and Catastrophic Risk ReductionFLEP 9 Fire and Catastrophic Risk Reduction FLEP 11 Special PracticesFLEP 11 Special Practices

Practice plansPractice plans Detailed information to enable land owner to install Detailed information to enable land owner to install

practice properlypractice properly

Prepared by private sector or DEC forester (LFSP Prepared by private sector or DEC forester (LFSP preparer)preparer)

LFSP may include all detailed information, separate LFSP may include all detailed information, separate practice plan not necessarypractice plan not necessary

Criteria to help determine proper installationCriteria to help determine proper installation

Include available publications, Include available publications, specifications,diagrams, etc. specifications,diagrams, etc.

Application ProcessApplication Process

Landowner to submit Application / Landowner to submit Application / Transaction form to DEC Service Rep.Transaction form to DEC Service Rep.

Approved LFSP required for FLEP 2-10Approved LFSP required for FLEP 2-10

Practice plan requiredPractice plan required

DEC Service Rep.- authorize obligation DEC Service Rep.- authorize obligation of funds to Disbursement Administratorof funds to Disbursement Administrator

Disbursement Administrator informs LO Disbursement Administrator informs LO to commence installation of practiceto commence installation of practice

cont’dcont’d

LO reports completion to DEC Service LO reports completion to DEC Service Rep. with cost documentationRep. with cost documentation

DEC Service Rep. certifies satisfactory DEC Service Rep. certifies satisfactory installation – authorizes C/S payment installation – authorizes C/S payment

Disbursement Administrator remits C/S Disbursement Administrator remits C/S payment to LOpayment to LO

LO maintains practice for 10 yearsLO maintains practice for 10 years POA should follow NYS guidelinesPOA should follow NYS guidelines

Approval PeriodApproval Period

Practice may not be started before approvalPractice may not be started before approval

Approval period – 6 monthsApproval period – 6 months

Approval period up to 12 months for Approval period up to 12 months for selectedselected practices – planting componentspractices – planting components

Up to 6 month extension – justification Up to 6 month extension – justification submitted 15 days prior to termination datesubmitted 15 days prior to termination date

Landowner to report completion with cost Landowner to report completion with cost documentation to DEC Service Rep.documentation to DEC Service Rep.

Maintain practiceMaintain practice

Cost DocumentationCost Documentation

C/S 75% or 50% of actual cost not to exceed C/S 75% or 50% of actual cost not to exceed capcap

Landowner to provide bills, invoices, etc to DEC Landowner to provide bills, invoices, etc to DEC Service Rep. with completion reportService Rep. with completion report

Landowner may submit LO work log to Landowner may submit LO work log to document in kind servicedocument in kind service

FLEP 3 Tree designation – detailed or separate FLEP 3 Tree designation – detailed or separate invoice to differentiate from other costs invoice to differentiate from other costs associated with harvest activityassociated with harvest activity

FLEPFLEP

Promote sustainable forest Promote sustainable forest management activities on NIPF management activities on NIPF

lands with educational, technical lands with educational, technical and financial assistance.and financial assistance.