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

Outline Objectives Objectives Resources and Program Objectives Resources and Program Objectives Program Authority and Guidance Program Authority and Guidance Technical Assistance – resources & goals Technical Assistance – resources & goals Educational Assistance – goals & tools Educational Assistance – goals & tools Financial Assistance – cost sharing Financial Assistance – cost sharing Who’s who Who’s who Eligibility Eligibility Approved Practices Approved Practices Reimbursement procedure Reimbursement procedure Evaluation and CFE certificates Evaluation and CFE certificates

Objectives: Why are we here? Understand program authority Understand program authority Learn about the balance of program Learn 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 requirements Understand landowner eligibility requirements Discuss FLEP practices and cost share procedures Discuss FLEP practices and cost share procedures

FLEP Resources Private Sector Forester Handbook (provided) Private Sector Forester Handbook (provided) Regional DEC Field Offices Regional DEC Field Offices Forester’s FLEP handbook (provided) Forester’s FLEP handbook (provided) Priority plan Priority plan FAQ (provided) FAQ (provided) Landowner’s Guide (provided) Landowner’s Guide (provided) Transaction Application (provided) Transaction Application (provided) Other educational materials Other educational materials

FLEP Goals To promote sustainable forest management on NIPF land To promote sustainable forest management on NIPF land Secretary of Agriculture to provide financial support to State Foresters Secretary of Agriculture to provide financial support to State Foresters Balanced program – Technical, Educational and Financial Assistance Balanced program – Technical, Educational and Financial Assistance

FLEP Background Federal - Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 as amended by the Farm Security and Rural Reinvestment Act of 2002 (PL ) Federal - Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 as amended by the Farm Security and Rural Reinvestment Act of 2002 (PL ) Interim and Final Rule - Federal rule provides details of program administration consistent with statute Interim and Final Rule - Federal rule provides details of program administration consistent with statute State Priority Plan ( developed by State Forester & State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee State Priority Plan ( developed by State Forester & State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committeewww.dec.state.ny.us

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

Technical Assistance 17 FTE of DEC Service Foresters 17 FTE of DEC Service Foresters 2 FTE FLEP Foresters (Cornell & DEC) 2 FTE FLEP Foresters (Cornell & DEC) 100’s FTE private sector foresters 100’s FTE private sector foresters Assist with technical skills for landowners Assist with technical skills for landowners Provide one-on-one learning Provide one-on-one learning Feed back for refining program delivery Feed back for refining program delivery Cost-share activities plus additional landowner activity (ice storm – 33% additional action) Cost-share activities plus additional landowner activity (ice storm – 33% additional action)

Educational Assistance Create awareness and interest Create awareness and interest Complemented by broader education program Complemented by broader education program Landowner knowledge Landowner knowledge Willingness to try “new” techniques Willingness to try “new” techniques Receptive to adoption of “new” techniques Receptive to adoption of “new” techniques (see handout on educational program summary) (see handout on educational program summary)

Roles and Responsibilities for Cost Share Assistance “DEC Service Representative” (service forester) “DEC Service Representative” (service forester) Prepare LFSP & practice plans Prepare LFSP & practice plans Approve LFSP on behalf of State Forester Approve LFSP on behalf of State Forester Conduct needs & compliance for C/S requests – authorize obligation of funds and C/S payments Conduct needs & compliance for C/S requests – authorize obligation of funds and C/S payments “Service Representative” (private forester) “Service Representative” (private forester) Prepare LFSP & Practice plans Prepare LFSP & Practice plans Provide professional services to landowners to implement sustainable forestry practices Provide professional services to landowners to implement sustainable forestry practices

cont’d Landowner Landowner Have LFSP prepared Have LFSP prepared Install FLEP practice within approval period per practice plan Install FLEP practice within approval period per practice plan Submit cost documentation to DEC Service Rep. Submit cost documentation to DEC Service Rep. Maintain practice Maintain practice “Disbursement Administrator” “Disbursement Administrator” Obligate funds and remit C/S to landowners upon DEC Service Rep. Authorization Obligate funds and remit C/S to landowners upon DEC Service Rep. Authorization Maintain financial and accomplishment records Maintain financial and accomplishment records

Cost-share eligibility requirements Non industrial private forest landowner Non industrial private forest landowner five (5) contiguous acres or more of forest land or land suitable for establishment of forest five (5) contiguous acres or more of forest land or land 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 land annually 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 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 without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, disability, political belief, sexual orientation, or marital or family status

Landowner Forest Stewardship Plans State format adopted October 2000 State format adopted October 2000 Must be current (within planning horizon – 10 years) to be eligible to request financial assistance Must be current (within planning horizon – 10 years) to be eligible to request financial assistance Approved by DEC Approved by DEC FLEP 1 for preparation of new plans or enhancing other plans to LFSP format FLEP 1 for preparation of new plans or enhancing other plans to LFSP format

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

Medium Priority Practices FLEP 2 Reforestation and Afforestation FLEP 2 Reforestation and Afforestation FLEP 6 Fish and Wildlife Habitat FLEP 6 Fish and Wildlife Habitat FLEP 7 Forest Health and Protection FLEP 7 Forest Health and Protection FLEP 8 Invasive Species Control FLEP 8 Invasive Species Control

FLEP 10 Fire and Catastrophic Risk Rehabilitation FLEP 10 Fire and Catastrophic Risk Rehabilitation Low Priority Practices

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

Practice plans Detailed information to enable land owner to install practice properly Detailed information to enable land owner to install practice properly Prepared by private sector or DEC forester (LFSP preparer) Prepared by private sector or DEC forester (LFSP preparer) LFSP may include all detailed information, separate practice plan not necessary LFSP may include all detailed information, separate practice plan not necessary Criteria to help determine proper installation Criteria to help determine proper installation Include available publications, specifications,diagrams, etc. Include available publications, specifications,diagrams, etc.

Application Process Landowner to submit Application / Transaction form to DEC Service Rep. Landowner to submit Application / Transaction form to DEC Service Rep. Approved LFSP required for FLEP 2-10 Approved LFSP required for FLEP 2-10 Practice plan required Practice plan required DEC Service Rep.- authorize obligation of funds to Disbursement Administrator DEC Service Rep.- authorize obligation of funds to Disbursement Administrator Disbursement Administrator informs LO to commence installation of practice Disbursement Administrator informs LO to commence installation of practice

cont’d LO reports completion to DEC Service Rep. with cost documentation LO reports completion to DEC Service Rep. with cost documentation DEC Service Rep. certifies satisfactory installation – authorizes C/S payment DEC Service Rep. certifies satisfactory installation – authorizes C/S payment Disbursement Administrator remits C/S payment to LO Disbursement Administrator remits C/S payment to LO LO maintains practice for 10 years LO maintains practice for 10 years POA should follow NYS guidelines POA should follow NYS guidelines

Approval Period Practice may not be started before approval Practice may not be started before approval Approval period – 6 months Approval period – 6 months Approval period up to 12 months for selected practices – planting components Approval period up to 12 months for selected practices – planting components Up to 6 month extension – justification submitted 15 days prior to termination date Up to 6 month extension – justification submitted 15 days prior to termination date Landowner to report completion with cost documentation to DEC Service Rep. Landowner to report completion with cost documentation to DEC Service Rep. Maintain practice Maintain practice

Cost Documentation C/S 75% or 50% of actual cost not to exceed cap 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 to provide bills, invoices, etc to DEC Service Rep. with completion report Landowner may submit LO work log to document in kind service 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 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.