A voluntary program of the USDA Forest Service providing grants to states for the purchase of conservation easements and fee acquisition of environmentally-sensitive or threatened forest lands

WHY it exists:
The United States loses more than half a million acres of privately-owned timberland to development each year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The result is a loss of livelihood for some, a loss of places to explore nature for many, a loss of environmental quality for us all.

The Forest Legacy Program provides an alternative to selling timberland for development: assistance in private, voluntary conservation. Unfortunately, lack of consistent funding limits the potential of this popular program.

WHAT it does:
The Forest Legacy Program provides grants to enrolled states to purchase conservation easements or fee acquisition on environmentally important forest lands that are threatened with conversion to non-forest uses. Land trusts can provide invaluable assistance with their experience bringing landowners and projects to the table, negotiating and monitoring easements, and can participate in many other ways.

WHO has used it:
Twenty-four states and Puerto Rico currently qualify for Forest Legacy funds (CA, CT, DE, HI, IL, IN, MA, MD, ME, MN, MT, NC, NH, NJ, NY, PR, RI, SC, TN, UT, VA, VT, WA, and WI). Six states are in the process of developing Forest Legacy plans (AL, GA, IA, MI, NM, PA) and three more (AR, CO, and NE) have expressed interest in the program. The program has conserved over 120,000 acres of environmentally-important, working forestland.

How YOU can help:
Support the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA). CARA is a conservation bill that funds a number of conservation programs, and would provide $50 million annually for the Forest Legacy Program for 15 years. The FLP was funded at such a low level ($4 million in Fiscal Year 98) that many states did not find it worthwhile to participate and the program was in danger of being cut. In FY 2000, the Forest Legacy Program received $30 million, in FY2001 it received $60 million.  But there are no guarantees! Right now, more than $200 million of worthy projects are waiting to be funded. Additional funding will allow the program to reach the landowners who want to benefit from this proven voluntary conservation program and encourage other states to enroll.

WHERE to get more information:
Read a detailed description of acquisition procedures, state eligibility, case studies and contacts for the program, or contact the public policy staff of the Land Trust Alliance, 1331 H Street, N.W., Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20005
Phone: 202-638-4725;  Fax: 202-638-4730;
email: policy@lta.org.