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Five ways conservation districts can assist CFP

From the application process to providing ongoing technical assistance, conservation districts have several opportunities to participate in the Community Forest Program at different levels.

“I can see opportunities during the application process and beyond,” U.S. Forest Service National Program Specialist Margee Haines said. “These forests are a permanent resource for the community and actively managed over the long-term so that they continue to provide those important values—the water and timber as well as access for hunting, fishing and hiking. “

Here are five things that conservation districts can do to assist or help establish community forests in their area:

Engage communities and assist them in developing an application that reflects the needs and priorities of the community and draws on local knowledge.

A significant component of a project application is how the community forest will mirror what the community desires: educational components, hiking trails, thinning for economic purposes, fire prevention, etc.

“Conservation districts have strong relationships with stakeholders whose perspectives are very valuable to bring into the visioning exercise of what a community forest may look like,” U.S. Forest Service Landowner Assistance Program Manager Brad Siemens said.

Offer to provide technical expertise throughout the application process.

Applications must provide information about the proposed property including a description of the current land uses, forest type and cover, applicable zoning and land use regulations affecting the property, among other details. Conservation district staff can provide knowledge and forestry expertise to applicants as they work through the application.

Work with the recipient of a community forest to develop the community forest plan, including providing technical assistance.

The Community Forest Program requires a level of expertise for management. Community Forest members may possess a particular area of expertise but be lacking in other aspects. Conservation districts can help fill in those gaps.

“A lot of projects will have retired natural resource professionals or some other expertise that already are volunteering, but there is a component under the program that if the applicant requests it, we can pay for technical support in developing the required Community Forest Plan,” Siemens said.

Work with community forests to educate landowners about forest management through demonstrations and site visits to community forests.

Educational benefits are one of the benefits that community forests can provide, including serving as an effective model of forest stewardship for private landowners and other types of forest-based educational programs. “There’s a strong sense of grassroots issues and relationships that can be leveraged into a specific program like the community forest,” Siemens said.

The Mt. Adams Community Forest in Washington and the Underwood Conservation District are looking at ways of supporting workshops and visits to provide information and education to the community, for example.

Provide additional resources on regulations, plan development and different options for the land use.

Though the community forest is managed through its members, it still has to follow regulations through the state. Conservation districts can assist with those rules and policies and help with any modifications or updates that are needed and potentially connect members to other programs or practices that may be beneficial to the community forest.

Tags: Forestry Notes

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