Financial Assistance Available for Forest Landowners

Sign ups for Forest Land Enhancement Program (FLEP) will be accepted at county USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices starting February 24, 2006.

Landowners who own at least 10 acres of undeveloped land and have a qualifying forest stewardship plan will be eligible to receive funding assistance for practices under FLEP.  For those who don’t have a forest stewardship plan, financial assistance is available to help with part of the cost of having a licensed forester develop a plan.

FLEP will provide cost sharing up to 75% for forest stewardship plans and 50% for other practices such as weeding and thinning and tree planting, with each practice having an established upper re-imbursement limit.

The program begins February 24, 2006 with sign ups only at FSA offices. The FSA offices will be prepared to accept applications starting February 24, but not before. Foresters and landowners can contact County Extension Foresters for information or field visits. The sign up period will continue through March 24.  The applications will be reviewed by county FSA committees, who will recommend which projects to fund after March 24, 2006.

Funds are limited. All practices and paperwork must be completed and submitted by July 31, 2007.

To learn more about the FLEP program, contact your local County Forester or call 1-800-444-8978 and ask for a copy of the FLEP Handbook, or visit Help for Landowners and click on “financial assistance for forest landowners”.

The New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development - Division of Forests and Lands, in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service - State and Private Forestry, UNH Cooperative Extension - Forestry and Wildlife Program, and the New Hampshire Farm Service Agency are partnering to bring this program to New Hampshire forest owners.