The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) has partnered with Cal Fire to provide financial and technical assistance to landowners on Forest Management Planning. 

 

Beginning May 21, 2009 we will pilot this joint program in the North Coast counties of Mendocino, Sonoma, Napa, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Humboldt, Trinity and Shasta under the Environmental Quantity Incentive Program (EQIP).

 

The first step for landowners interested in this program is to have the landowner to sign up for the EQIP Forest Management Plan practice (Practice 106) with their local USDA-NRCS office in the participating 8 pilot counties. The application package must be submitted by June 26, 2009 to be eligible. This is a cost share (75%) contract with the US Government. While the application asks many personal financial questions, please know that all information is strictly confidential under penalty of the USDA/national privacy law.

 

The second step after the application is approved will be to have the landowner select a qualified Technical Service Provider (TSP) to provide them a Forest Management Plan.

 

Due to the timelines and issues with private foresters becoming a TSP, Cal Fire has become an organizational TSP in the NRCS system. This allows those registered professional foresters (RPF) who have worked with Cal Fire under the CFIP program to be considered as meeting NRCS standards and specification for developing a Forest Management Plan. These RPFs can work directly with Cal Fire Service Foresters and provide the technical planning to landowners.

 

The RPF/TSP will be selected and paid by the landowner, to be reimbursed up to 75% by EQIP. The Forest Management Plan, once approved by the landowners will be reviewed and approved by Cal Fire’s Service Foresters and NRCS.   CFIP recognizes these plans and, as future cost-share monies are available from federal and state sources, be used to support the implement the goals and objectives identified in this management planning process.

 

This is a pilot and we expect to have questions and clarifications. This fall season we plan on having a landowner/RPF workshop with Cal Fire, NRCS and Cooperative Extension on forest management planning and practice expectations.

 

Attached is the practice description, the payment schedules and the application package. Stephen Smith with NRCS Ukiah Field Office and Jill Butler with Cal Fire in the Regional office in Santa Rosa are available for questions on the Pilot FMP program.

 

 

Stephen G. Smith, District Conservationist

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Ukiah Field Office, Mendocino County

405 South Orchard, Ukiah, CA 95482

Phone:(707) 468-9223 ext. 112

Fax: (707) 468-5278

 

Jill Butler

Service Forester

CalFIRE, CA Department of Forestry and Fire

135 Ridgeway, Santa Rosa, CA 95401

Phone: (707) 576-2935