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American Forest Foundation

Farm Bill Progress Report:

FoRests in the

2012 UPdated edition

June 2012

W e G r o W S t e W a r d S h i p e v e r y d a y

About This Report

To prepare this update, the American Forest Foundation (AFF) studied

how the programs performed in 2011 compared with years prior. AFF

analyzed U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program data from

fiscal year 2011, tracking progress since our fiscal year 2009 report.

AFF is a nonprofit forest conservation and environmental education

organization working to ensure the sustainability of America’s family

forests for present and future generations.

For more information contact:

Christine Cadigan

1111 Nineteenth Street, NW, Suite 780

Washington, DC 20036

202.463.2734

[email protected]

www.forestfoundation.org/farmbill

June 2012

Forests in the Farm Bill Progress Report: 2012 Updated Edition 1

Forests in the Farm Bill Progress Report: 2012 Updated EditionFamilies—not the federal government or big companies—own the largest share of America’s forests. Family forests,

accounting for 251 million acres, are key to continuing the myriad forest-derived public benefits, including clean air,

clean water, wildlife habitat, recreation, and wood products. Programs in the Farm Bill offer essential support to bolster

and improve the stewardship of family forestland. To protect public benefits and strengthen our rural communities,

family forest owners need the tools and technical assistance available through Farm Bill conservation programs to

better manage their forestland for present and future generations.

Unfortunately, our nation’s forests face more threats than ever before. Development, wildfire, and invasive species

threaten the health and vitality of our forest ecosystems, requiring landowners do even more to ensure the long-term

sustainability of their forests.

The 2008 Farm Bill included important changes to U.S. Department of Agriculture conservation (USDA) programs

that better enable family forest owner participation. Conservation programs now provide woodland owners with

tools and on the ground technical assistance to implement conservation practices. In particular, forest owners can

now leverage cost-share dollars with their own time, energy, and investment to mitigate the effect of invasive

species, reforest the land, and control soil erosion and water quality.

This report, the third in a series, investigates the extent to which forest owners are using available conservation

program resources and accomplishing real conservation on-the-ground. This report also compares funds spent

for forest practices before and after the 2008 legislation, during the period of fiscal years 2009-2011. The results

show that policy changes added in the 2008 Farm Bill have opened conservation programs to more forest owners,

ensuring America’s family-owned forests are healthier and more resilient to impending threats.

Threats to America’s Private Forests

• 325 million acres of private forests are at risk of catastrophic wildfire

• 58 million acres are at risk of being overtaken by insects, disease, and invasive species

• Development threatens to convert 57 million acres of forests by 2030, with obvious implications to our nation’s water supply

• An impending ownership shift looms, as more than 15% of family forests are owned by people over the age of 75

essential support

Programs in the Farm Bill offer

to bolster and improve the stewardship of family forest land.

2

Program Review: What Is Available to Forest Owners?The USDA Farm Bill provides a variety of opportunities to family forest owners to improve their stewardship,

from conservation programs, to renewable energy incentives, to programs supporting large-scale, innovative

conservation efforts. The figure below details programs of interest, the implementing agency, funding source,

authorized levels, and actual appropriations for 2011.

Program Agency Funding Authorized LevelsActual Funding/Acreage Levels

Environmental Quality Incentives

Program (EQIP)

NRCS Mandatory $1.58 billion $1.2 billion

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program

(WHIP)

NRCS Mandatory $85 million

per year

$73 million

Conservation Stewardship Program

(CSP)

NRCS Mandatory 12.7 million acres

per year*

$649 million

Conservation Reserve Program

(CRP)

FSA Mandatory Limit to

32 million acres

$1.96 billion

Wetlands Reserve Program

(WRP)

NRCS Mandatory 3.04 million

total acres

Limit to 202,218 acres

Emergency Forest Restoration

Program (EFRP)

FSA Discretionary Funding necessary

to implement

$18 million

Healthy Forest Reserve Program

(HFRP)

NRCS Mandatory $9.75 million

per year

$9.75 million

Biomass Crop Assistance Program

(BCAP)

FSA Mandatory Funding necessary

to implement

$112 million

Cooperative Conservation

Partnership Initiative (CCPI)

NRCS Mandatory 6% of eligible

programs

N/A**

Conservation Innovation Grants and

Payments

NRCS Mandatory $37.5 million per year

through EQIP

N/A**

Beginning Farmer and Rancher

Development Program

NIFA Mandatory $18 million

per year

$19 million

*Forestland is currently capped at 10% total acreage for a total of 1.2 million acres per year.

**Funds for these programs are not subject to annual appropriations.

NRCS: Natural Resource Conservation Service

FSA: Farm Service Agency

NIFA: National Institute of Food and Agriculture

Forests in the Farm Bill Progress Report: 2012 Updated Edition

2011 Farm Bill programs available to family forest ownersFIguRE 1

3

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)As one of the most widely used programs in the Farm Bill

Conservation Title, EQIP is a voluntary program that provides

financial and technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, and forest

owners through contracts up to 10 years in length. Contracts

focus financial assistance to plan and implement conservation

practices that address improvements in soil, air, water, plant,

wildlife, and related resources on agricultural land and non-

industrial private forestland.

Payments are awarded based on the average cost associated

with conservation practice implementation. Landowners

are given the opportunity to use a certified Technical

Service Provider for technical assistance in planning and

implementation.

Landowners apply for these programs through their state

Natural Resources Conservation Service office. Assistance

is competitively awarded based on the state’s conservation

priorities, as determined by the State Conservationist and State

Technical Committee. Therefore, priorities can vary by state—

explaining why some states have a higher percentage of funds

going toward forest practices.

Forest owners use EQIP funds for a variety of forest

management practices, illustrated in Figure 2. Similar to 2010,

the most popular practices included forest stand improvement,

tree planting, and site preparation.


Forest Stand Improvement

43%Forest Site Preparation

16%

Tree/Shrub Establishment

20%

2011 EQIP Forest Practices


Tree/Shrub Establishment

Forest Site Preparation

Windbreak/Shelterbreak Establishment

Windbreak/Shelterbreak Renovation

Firebreak

Forest Harvest Trails & Landings

Tree/Shrub Pruning

Riparian Forest Buffer

Silvopasture Establishment

Forest management practices funded through 2011 EQIP program

FIguRE 2

Forest Practices: What are the Big 5?

in 2010, $35 million of eQip was spent on forest management practices across all 50 states. in 2011,

spending increased nearly 15% from the 2010 level to $41 million. perhaps more impressively, forestry eQip

spending in 2011 is more than twice the amount, or a 130% increase, than forestry eQip spending in 2007—

before the implementation of the 2008 Farm Bill.

The 2008 policy changes are clearly improving on-the-ground forest management, as evidenced by the practices

forest owners are pursuing and the stories detailed in this report. Figure 3 illustrates this trend. More and more

forest owners are participating in EQIP projects and using available tools

FIguRE 3

4

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

0

10

20

30

40

45

35

25

15

5Fun

ds

Sp

ent

(in

mill

ion

s o

f d

olla

rs)

Year


Forestry EQIP funds spent in all 50 states before and after 2008 Farm Bill implementation

Interestingly, there is still a wide spectrum of EQIP funds spent on forestry practices across the states. As

previously stated, most differences are a direct result of varying state priorities and implementation strategies.

Many of these discrepancies could change through increased forest owner participation on state technical

committees. The following figure identifies the states that direct the highest percentage of available EQIP funds to

forest practices. More detailed state spending is enumerated in the appendix, located at the end of this report.

All of the states listed above have had consistently high percentages since the 2008 Farm Bill, suggesting forestry is

a significant conservation priority for these states. Some states have startlingly low funds spent on forestry, despite

heavily forested regions. With approximately half the land area in forests, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida,

Tennessee, and Maryland are among the states that direct less than 3% of total state EQIP funds toward forests.

Despite obvious increases in forestry spending within EQIP, forestry still only accounts for less than 5% of total

EQIP spending in 2011; in the meantime, landowners continue to face growing pressures and threats that are

outside their control. This low funding level could be attributed to a number of issues, including low forest owner

awareness of the program, lack of priority placed on forestry by the states, and lack of forest owner participation in

state technical committees.

With such a small slice of the total EQIP funding going toward forests, there is obvious room for program

improvement to encourage even more forest landowners to utilize these tools and resources to improve on-the-

ground stewardship.

5Forests in the Farm Bill Progress Report: 2012 Updated Edition

FIguRE 4Top 5 states allocating the highest percentage of EQIP funds to forestry practices

State Percent ofForestry Funds

Alaska 17%

Alabama 13%

Georgia 13%

Washington 12%

New Hampshire 12%

less than 5 percent

Forestry still only accounts for

of total EQIP spending.

6 Forests in the Farm Bill Progress Report: 2012 Updated Edition

EQIP Story

Charles holmesMarion, alabama

Rich with history, Charles Holmes’ Tree Farm and cattle operation has been in his

family for nearly 200 years and was one of the very first Tree Farms certified with

the American Tree Farm System’s® inception in 1941. Charles, his wife Jenny,

and their three sons have worked tirelessly to implement effective conservation

management practices on their land.

The forests of their Marion, Alabama, property are a mix of pine and hardwood

stands, including recent efforts to restore and reintroduce longleaf pine ecosystems. As a board

member of the National Association of Conservation Districts, Charles understands the value in

implementing conservation practices on his land.

“The importance of conservation cannot be stated enough. Conservation is a common sense, long-term

solution with a high return on investment.”

Because of his recognition of the value of conservation practices, Charles enrolled his property in EQIP

to help enable him to implement his water quality goals. Charles used technical assistance and cost-

share dollars to engineer reliable stream crossings that prevent degradation of the quality of water

running through his land and into the larger watershed.

“Without EQIP, I wouldn’t have been able to create this responsible stream crossing that ensures water

running from my land into my community’s larger watershed is of the highest quality. These Farm Bill

conservation programs ensure forest landowners are the best land stewards they can possibly be.”

“”with a high return on investment.

common sense, long-term solution

Conservation is a


Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP)Similar to EQIP, WHIP is another voluntary Farm Bill conservation program. This program appeals to landowners

who want to develop and improve wildlife habitat on their land. Participants can receive up to 75% cost-share

assistance to establish or improve wildlife habitat, with a maximum contract length of 10 years.

In 2011, NRCS provided some direction to states for implementing this program by enumerating the following

national priorities:

• Promote the restoration of declining or important native fish and wildlife habitats

• Protect, restore, develop, or enhance fish and wildlife habitat to benefit at-risk species

• Reduce the impacts of invasive species on fish and wildlife habitats

• Protect, restore, develop, or enhance declining or important aquatic wildlife species’ habitat

• Protect, restore, develop, or enhance important migration and other movement corridors for wildlife

Beyond these broad priorities, states are free to establish their own, more specific guidelines for program

implementation. The on-the-ground forest practices completed through WHIP are fairly similar to EQIP-funded

practices, although the intention of the practices is to improve wildlife habitat. As illustrated by the figure below,

forest stand improvement is still a common practice, but WHIP has an increased emphasis on windbreak and

shelterbreaks as compared with EQIP.

Since the implementation of the 2008 Farm Bill, WHIP program dollars spent on forest practices increased from

nearly 20% of total funds in 2010 to almost 32% of total funds in 2011, a more than 50% increase in funds

directed toward forest management practices during the course of one year.


35%


6%

Windbreak/Shelterbreak

Establishment33%

Tree/Shrub Pruning

20%

2011 WHIP Forest Practices Used



Windbreak/Shelterbreak Establishment

Windbreak/Shelterbreak Renovation

Firebreak

Forest Harvest Trails & Landings

Tree/Shrub Pruning

Riparian Forest Buffer

Silvopasture Establishment

FIguRE 5Forest management practices funded through 2011 WHIP program


Compared to EQIP, a higher percentage of total WHIP funds are directed toward forestry; however, WHIP is funded

on a much lower level than EQIP. This higher percentage spent on forestry is likely due to more states setting forestry

as a priority for WHIP funds and the fact that many wildlife species depend on forests for their habitat.

Additionally, spending on forest practices has grown more than six-fold (see Figure 6) since 2007, or before the

implementation of the 2008 Farm Bill. Even though WHIP is a relatively small program compared to other Farm Bill

conservation programs, WHIP clearly plays an integral role in enabling forest owners to be better stewards of their

land and improve habitat for important wildlife species.

There are large discrepancies in state spending in WHIP forestry provisions, ranging from less than 1%to almost 90%

of total in-state funds. The following figure displays states that dedicate more than 50 %of their funds to forestry.

FIguRE 6Forestry WHIP funds spent across all 50 states before and after 2008 Farm Bill implementation

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

Fun

ds

Sp

ent

(in

th

ou

san

ds

of

do

llars

)

Year

FIguRE 7States that direct more than 50% of WHIP funds to forest practices

State Percent of Forestry Funds

Georgia 88%

South Carolina 76%

Mississippi 68%

Rhode Island 68%

Illinois 63%

Michigan 60%

North Carolina 59%

Pennsylvania 55%

Ohio 53%

Kentucky 51%


WHIP Story

andy abello and amanda Russelledgecomb, Maine

Andy Abello and Amanda Russell have spent more than 30 years stewarding

their American Tree Farm System® (ATFS)-certified Wind Ridge Tree Farm in

Edgecomb, Maine, which covers 104 acres. With rich history, substantial timber

volume, and plentiful wildlife, Andy and Amanda take great pride in managing

their Tree Farm for economic viability, community enjoyment, long-term

conservation value, and wildlife habitat.

“Wind Ridge Tree Farm is a way to maintain our income, a way to preserve

open space in the community, a way to maintain the land-based economy of the

area, and a way to strengthen the local, native wildlife,” said Amanda.

Andy and Amanda recently applied for WHIP funding to improve wetlands for wood ducks. The NRCS

supplied engineered drawings and resources for a badly eroded pond outlet and stream crossing,

enabling them to access a portion of their land that is critical to their managed forest. After completion,

the now clean, well-managed waterway spills into a perennial stream that feeds an important wetland

for wildlife, where Andy built and installed wood duck boxes.

With the stream crossing, Andy was finally able to access high-quality timber that will help sustain

the future of his furniture business. The forest stand will provide Andy with the species and wood

character necessary to construct historically accurate Windsor chairs, symbolic to the Northeast

where Wind Ridge Tree Farm is located.

In the newly accessed land, the couple also used WHIP resources to create an early successional forest

to promote habitat for American woodcock, a species in decline. With the same funding, Amanda built

engineered wildlife structures, providing food and cover for upland wildlife. In addition, an abundance of

native songbirds such as Chestnut-sided Warbler, Canada Warbler and Willow Flycatcher also benefit

from the newly constructed habitat, making the couple’s Tree Farm a popular location for local birders.

Andy and Amanda feel fortunate to have benefited from Farm Bill program tools and NRCS expertise.

“Farm Bill programs make good stewardship affordable. We wouldn’t have been able to complete these

necessary forest management practices without the resources to combine with our own investment,”

said Andy.

“ ” good stewardship affordable.

Farm Bill programs make


Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)Structured differently than EQIP and WHIP, CSP awards landowners annual stewardship payments for environmental

benefits based on conservation performance points and acreage. This voluntary program is more competitive than

other programs and encourages landowners to go above and beyond in their conservation practices. The State

Conservationist and State Technical Committees determine program priorities based on natural resource concerns

within a certain state. Applicants are evaluated relative to other applications, competitively ranking the proposed

conservation practices. Forest owners participating in the program receive, on average, about $8-10 per acre.

Currently, forested land can only comprise 10% of total annual acres enrolled in the program. In 2011, new forest-

land enrollments accounted for just under 5% of total new acreage. This is a decline from previous years, which

have been as high as 9.2%. This could be the result of a number of factors, including low landowner awareness,

lack of demand, or hesitancy of NRCS staff to strongly promote forest enrollment because of concerns in

exceeding the cap. Considering total acres enrolled from 2009-2011, forest enrollments account for 7.2% of total

acreage in the program.

The southeast continues to dominate forest acreage enrolled in the program with Alabama, Georgia, and South

Carolina representing three states with the largest CSP forest enrollments. These states account for almost 30

percent of the total national forest acreage enrolled. Figure 8 displays the states with more than 100,000 forested

acres enrolled in the program for 2011.

In total, 629,000 new forested acres were enrolled in CSP in 2011, ensuring that conservation improvements and

responsible stewardship are present on these forested acres.

FIguRE 8States with more than 100,000 forest acres enrolled in CSP in 2011

State Acres in Forestry

Alabama 348,414

Georgia 275,683

South Carolina 193,558

Alaska 177,957

Missouri 161,573

Oregon 158,155

Minnesota 126,696

are present on these forested acres.

conservation improvements responsible

stewardship&


CSP Story

susan shoemaker-Benedict state College, Pa

Susan Shoemaker-Benedict’s American Tree Farm System®

(ATFS)-certified Tree Farm has been in her family since 1943.

After her father passed in 2006, Susan and her brothers took over

operations of the 2,000-acre northern hardwood property. As

General Partner, Susan is active in the management decisions for

her certified family forest.

Susan and her family enrolled their Tree Farm in the CSP. “CSP

has been especially valuable to me in managing our property,”

said Susan. With the program, Susan and her family decided to

take the following three additional conservation steps in her forest

management plan: further riparian buffer zone improvement,

standing snags and downed woody debris maintenance, and pollinator habitat establishment.

“In studying these enhancements, researching best management practices, and trying to understand how

to accomplish outcomes, I have come to understand how smaller ecosystems integrate into our whole

property and I have come to appreciate aspects of forest management I did not even recognize before.”

Working with the riparian buffer zone, Susan learned to appreciate her Tree Farm’s water resource

and the role the property plays in the Beech Creek Watershed, a contributor to the Chesapeake Bay

watershed. The standing snags and downed woody debris taught her to value bird, amphibian, and

reptile habitats and how to ensure their continued presence on the property. Finally, in researching

native pollinator habitats she discovered that a marshy meadow with wildflowers is actually a valuable

pollinator habitat that should be preserved in its current state.

“Prior to our enrollment in the program, I was a responsible forest steward. But enrolling in CSP

has improved my forest knowledge and conservation awareness, and I am now an even better

forest steward.”

“ ” especiallyvaluable

CSP has been

to me in managing our property.


Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)Implemented by the Farm Service Agency (FSA), CRP is another voluntary program for landowners that is designed to

promote conservation on marginal and highly erodible land. Since its inception in 1985, CRP has protected millions of acres of

topsoil by awarding annual rental payments and cost-share assistance to landowners restoring tree or herbaceous plant cover.

Under general CRP, landowner enrollment offers must compete nationally for acceptance based on an environmental

benefit index (EBI) during specified enrollment periods. Those that rank highest are enrolled in the program. To aid in

forest conservation practices and technical support, FSA partners with local NRCS offices, state forestry agencies, local

soil and water conservation districts, and private-sector technical assistance providers.

In 2011, total CRP acreage declined from 31.3 million acres to 29.7 million acres. The total net forested acres declined only

slightly in 2011, meaning CRP continues to aid in the restoration and maintenance of important forested ecosystems.

Other Continuous CRP InitiativesIn addition to traditional CRP enrollments, there are seven other, more-targeted, continuous CRP initiatives. Under

continuous CRP, landowners may enroll certain higher priority conservation practices, such as filter strips, riparian buffers,

wetlands, and important wildlife habitat, at any time during the year without competition. Of the seven continuous CRP

initiatives, two are forestry focused and address bottomland hardwood and longleaf pine restoration.

Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)An offshoot of CRP, CREP is a voluntary land conservation program that addresses high-priority conservation areas.

This program is a community-based effort that focuses on implementation outcomes. Similar to CRP, CREP offers

10-to-15-year contracts for rental payments and cost-share assistance to enroll highly environmentally sensitive lands

into a conservation practice instead of continuing agricultural production. Under CREP agreements, federal and state

partnerships implement projects designed to address specific environmental objectives through targeted enrollments.

General sign-up practices may be included, and additional financial incentives are generally provided.

There are currently 45 CREP projects in partnership with 33 states across the nation enrolling conservation practices

on a continuous basis targeting lands of special significance while addressing local environmental resource concerns.

Forested Practice*

In Thousands of Acres

2009 2010 2011

New softwood trees 326,240 294,517 390,512

New longleaf pines 208,090 204,212 205,472

New hardwood trees 467,306 462,775 471,757

Field windbreaks 92,874 95,189 95,956

Existing trees 952,667 910,822 720,839

Riparian buffers 849,560 877,384 875,032

Bottomland hardwoods 54,443 72,283 81,819

Hardwood trees expired 8,569 8,567 8,565

Longleaf pine initiative 79,298 96,518 109,811

Total Forested 3,039,047 3,022,267 2,959,763

Total CRP Acreage 33,721,252 31,298,245 29,651,898

*This does not include forest practices that are included in shelterbelts or wildlife enhancement project areas, which no doubt include forested acres. Unfortunately, these practices are not easily broken down into categories.

FIguRE 9 CRP acres enrolled in forest practices in 2009, 2010, 2011.


CRP Story

tim and susan GossmanChatfield, Minnesota

Tim and Susan Gossman have owned their 200-acre farm with more than 100

forested acres near Chatfield, Minnesota, since 1984. Their certified Tree Farm

has been enrolled in the Tree Farm program for more than 25 years.

While Tim and Susan live on the property, both have other full-time jobs but

devote much of their free time to making the Tree Farm a worthwhile venture.

By working on forestry projects they are investing in the future—a future tied

to the success of their Tree Farm.

Tim and Susan have made smart management decisions, working to control

their erosion problems. More than half of their highly erodible CRP land,

formerly in row crops, has now been permanently converted to forestland. Their Tree Farm now does

its part to reduce erosion and improve water quality in Lost Creek, which flows into the Root River, a

tributary to the Mississippi River.

The Gossmans used CRP to leverage their own investment and accomplish sound forest management

practices. To complement the forest plantings and improvements made directly on CRP enrolled land,

the Gossman’s spent most of the money from their annual CRP payments on tree planting and other

conservation work on the non-tillable acres of their farm.

In addition to the CRP, the Gossmans have participated in CSP and WHIP and implemented

conservation practices in cooperation with NRCS. “These Farm Bill programs provide a financial

incentive to conserve the land through practices like erosion control dams. It’s not enough to cover

the cost of all the work that needs to be done. We do the rest because we truly care about the land.”

The Gossmans are grateful for the opportunity to participate in CRP and learn from the technical

assistance provided. The couple hopes that these programs will be around for future forest owners to

do right by their land, too.

reduce erosion improve water quality.

Their Tree Farm now does its part to

&


Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP)Administered by NRCS, WRP provides technical and financial support through contracts, easement agreements,

and cost-share funds to landowners to protect, restore, and enhance wetlands on their land. The overall goal of the

program is to achieve maximum wetland functionality (i.e., water filtration) combined with optimal wildlife habitat

on every acre enrolled in the program.

More than 60 percent of America’s wetlands are forested, accounting for approximately 66 million acres. Although

the program does not break down enrollments by land type, forest owners can utilize this opportunity to restore

bottomland hardwoods and other forested wetland sites. Preliminary data indicate that 2011 enrolled acreage

decreased by nearly 80,000 acres compared to 2010 enrollment. A result of decreased available funding, there was

approximately 200,000 total acres enrolled in the program in 2011.

Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP)FSA’s, EFRP provides payments to family forest owners to carry out emergency management practices to restore

land damaged by a natural disaster. Funding for this program depends on yearly Congressional appropriations.

County FSA committees determine land eligibility, using on-site damage inspections that assess the type and

extent of damage. To be eligible for EFRP, the forestland must:

• Have existing tree cover (or had tree cover immediately before the natural disaster occurred and is suitable for

growing trees); and

• Be owned by any nonindustrial private individual, group, association, corporation, or other private legal entity-that

has definitive decision-making authority over the land.

In addition, the natural disaster must have resulted in damage that if untreated would:

• Impair or endanger the natural resources on the land; and

• Materially affect future use of the land.

Producers should check with their local county FSA offices regarding EFRP sign-up periods, which are set by

county FSA committees.

As of early 2012, EFRP funds supported tornado-damaged forest restoration efforts in Arkansas, Alabama,

Georgia, Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Tennessee; hurricane-damaged forest restoration efforts

in Maine and New York; and flood-damaged forest restoration efforts in Iowa.

A forerunner to EFRP, the Emergency Forest Conservation Reserve Program (EFCRP) was a pilot program within

CRP, established to aid forest recovery efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. Landowners suffering

significant timber damage as a result of these hurricanes could sign-up to participate in EFCRP on a continuous

basis. In addition to technical assistance, EFCRP participants received cost share for clean-up, site preparation, and

reforestation activities, plus rental payments associated with 10-year contracts. Modeled after this pilot program,

today’s EFRP program offers similar forestland damage assistance.


Emergency Forest Program Story

Russ and Barbara FordColumbia, Mississippi

Ford’s River Tree Farm has been in Russ’ family since 1941,

and certified by the American Tree Farm System® (ATFS) since

1955. Today, Russ and Barbara Ford’s Columbia, Mississippi,

Tree Farm is 1,101 acres of loblolly and longleaf pine, mixed

hardwoods, and oak stands. Dedicating his life to his family’s

forest legacy, Russ has been the full-time manager of the

property since 1970.

Unfortunately, Hurricane Katrina devastated Russ and Barbara

Ford’s Mississippi Tree Farm in 2005. The couple refused to be victims of this tragic natural disaster

and instead leveraged USDA’s resources with their own time, energy, and investment. With

emergency funds available, the Fords participated in USDA’s Emergency Forest Conservation Reserve

Program (EFCRP) to help re-grow their pine and hardwood trees and control invasive species on 960

acres.

“This USDA emergency program was so helpful for us in a time when we needed it most. The hurricane

destroyed a significant portion of our timber crop and left us with very little to salvage for income and

reinvestment back into our land. This program provided just the right helping hand we needed.”

With program support and their own personal investment, the Fords were able to clean up the

hurricane’s destructive path and plant new seedlings to bring their Tree Farm back. Although EFCRP

is no longer available, a new version of the Program, EFRP, can provide landowners with similar

on-the-ground assistance in response to devastating events.

“ ”we needed.

just the right helping hand

This program provided


Healthy Forest Reserve Program (HFRP)HFRP uses a variety of landowner agreements to restore, enhance, and protect forestland resources. Agreements

include easements, 30-year contracts, and 10-year cost-share contracts to implement management practices that

achieve the following objectives:

1. Promote the recovery of endangered and threatened species under the Endangered Species Act

2. Improve plant and animal biodiversity, and

3. Enhance carbon sequestration.

The following states have received HFRP

funding since the program’s inception:

Arkansas, California, Georgia, Indiana,

Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Ohio,

Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and South

Carolina. Projects funded range from protecting

the red-cockaded woodpecker in Arkansas to

protecting the Canada lynx in Maine—both

while enhancing carbon sequestration.

Preliminary 2011 data indicate that NRCS holds

almost $18 million in contracts (10-and 30-year)

and easements (30-year and permanent) to

support forest restoration through HFRP.

Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI)This initiative uses a portion of EQIP, WHIP,

and CSP (6% of program funds or acreage) funds to enhance conservation outcomes on private lands. Through this

program, partners leverage non federal funding with CCPI funds and enter multi-year agreements for financial and

technical assistance to enhance conservation outcomes across a landscape.

For example, in the Chesapeake Bay initiative, CCPI forest-related projects include a Virginia Department of Forestry

project designed to increase forest cover in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Similarly, the Bradford County Conservation

District was also funded for a forest-related stream bank restoration and protection project for the same watershed.

Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development ProgramAn aging farmer population leads many to believe that the United States will experience a decrease in the number

of farmers and ranchers in the near future—threatening the existence of even more rural landscapes. To address

this issue, the 2008 Farm Bill appropriated $75 million for 2009-2012 to develop education, training, and outreach

programs for the next generation of America’s farmers. A beginning farm is considered one that is operated by

people who have less than 10 years of experience.

Recipients of program resources are regional or local public and private entities that plan to develop programs

geared toward beginning farmers and ranchers. Although somewhat unclear, beginning forest owners are eligible

to benefit from this program. Last year, with a budget of $19 million, only two forest programs were funded out of

more than 100 requests.

FIguRE 10States with projects enrolled in the Healthy Forest Reserve Program


Technical Assistance to Family Forest OwnersAs of early 2012, there were 468 technical service providers (TSPs), or non-NRCS employees, certified to develop a

forest management plan and 545 TSPs certified in forestry expertise (numbers are not additive). There are nearly 1,900

total registered TSPs, meaning about 30% of registered TSPs have some level of forestry expertise—at best. While

NRCS does employ foresters, forestry capacity is limited, with some states completely lacking NRCS forestry expertise.

It is clear from landowner testimonials that available knowledge and on-the-ground expertise are critical for forest

owners to better understand and properly implement Farm Bill conservation program-funded practices. In fact,

many landowners indicate that access to expertise through conservation program enrollment is just as important,

if not more, than actual cost-share dollars received. Obviously, this is a high-priority tool for many forest owners.

Pennsylvania, Virginia, Illinois, Maine, and New Hampshire all have 40 or more forestry TSPs certified to develop an

NRCS-developed forest management plan (also known as the CAP106 plan), suggesting they have greater capacity

to reach out to and engage forest owners.

To provide as much technical assistance as possible, NRCS has formed partnerships with many state forestry

agencies, cooperative extension programs, and other third parties like the American Tree Farm System®.

Still, with only around 550 TSPs available to serve more than 10 million family forest owners, there is still room to

strengthen this assistance and provide even more on-the-ground expertise to America’s forest stewards.

Conclusion

The nation’s private forests, which make up more than two-thirds of all U.S. forests and supply Americans with

clean water and clean air, fish and wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, and forest products, are a key

component of America’s landscapes, stimulating healthy rural communities and economies, and supporting

good-paying rural jobs.

Even as these forests provide multiple benefits, there are growing threats and challenges that make it difficult to

keep these lands intact and healthy so all Americans continue to reap these environmental and economic benefits.

Development pressures have the potential to break-up and permanently convert as many as 57 million private

forest acres by 2030. Invasive species, insects, and diseases currently threaten roughly 58 million acres of forests,

and wildfires threaten as many as 400 million acres.

growing threats challenges

There are

that make it difficult to keep these lands intact and healthy.

&


Additionally, the forest industry has lost more than 322,000 jobs and seen

more than 1,000 mills shuttered since 2005. This decline in forest product

markets means forest owners are earning less revenue to reinvest back into

responsible land management.

The 2008 Farm Bill improvements have been instrumental in increasing the

availability of conservation tools for forest owners and have resulted in real

stewardship improvements on the ground. In EQIP and WHIP, funding for

forest management practices following implementation of the 2008 Farm Bill

more than doubled. This signals that demand exists for these conservation

programs, and the assistance needed by family forest owners will continue

to grow as threats increase.

With these key findings, it is clear that family forest owners leverage their

own time, energy, and resources with Farm Bill program resources to

implement important forest management practices, including reforestation, wildlife habitat improvement, invasive

species removal, and soil and water quality control.

During the course of a three year evaluation, a clear trend arose, highlighting the demand on forest enrollment

programs continues to increase. With greater outreach, increased technical assistance, and fewer caps on these

programs, there will be even more results in the improvement of forest stewardship on the ground.

Given limited federal dollars available for these programs, spending must be directed in the most effective way and

guarantee the best return. Spending on forest conservation provides multiple returns—clean air and water, wildlife

habitat, places to hunt, fish, and recreate, the forest products Americans use every day, and good-paying jobs.

Conservation is a good return on investment.

As Congress looks toward future Farm Bill legislation, the lessons learned from 2009, 2010, and 2011 provide proof

that investing in forest practices will go a long way toward improving forest conservation and the forest-derived public

benefits all Americans enjoy. Despite improvements since 2008, Congress can and should do more to give more

family forest owners the tools they need to be better forest stewards for their families, their rural communities, and

the American public.

The American Forest Foundation, in coordination with partners from the Forests in the Farm Bill Coalition, support the

following recommendations for the 2012 Farm Bill reauthorization:

1. Improve outreach, education, research, and technical assistance to family forest owners. Forestry outreach

and education activities are essential for engaging private forest owners in conservation and management

activities on their land. Without these activities and programs, landowners will not have the knowledge and tools

to take the next steps and practice responsible management on their land. This education and outreach must be

informed by solid forestry research and a comprehensive forest inventory that provide real-time information on

the health and condition of our forests.

2. Strengthen conservation tools for family forest owners through Farm Bill conservation programs. Farm Bill

conservation programs offer a variety of tools for private forest owners to improve their management practices

as well as help keep their forests intact and economically viable. These programs help improve wildlife habitat for

• eQip spending on forests has more than doubled since 2007.

• Whip spending on forests has increased six-fold since 2007.

• in 2011, new forest enrollments in CSp account for 5% of total acreage enrolled.

• in 2011, forest acreage in Crp declined slightly, by 62,000 acres.

• Forestry tSps account for 30% of total available NrCS tSps.

KEy FInDIngS:

19

State

Program Data for 2011

Programs Measured in Dollars Spent Programs Measured in Acres Enrolled

EQIP Funding for Forests*

Percent of Total EQIP Funds

WHIP Funding for Forests*

Percent of Total WHIP Funds

CSP Forest Acres^

Percent of Total CSP Acres

CRP Forest Acres ~

Percent of Total CRP Acres

Alabama 1,944,171 12.56 1,702,200 46.71 106,891 78.58 285,313 78.98

Alaska 1,335,686 17.27 1,068,660 34.58 0 0.00 161 0.85

Arizona 145,992 0.87 6,438 0.98 0 0.00 0 0.00

Arkansas 1,253,451 4.66 360,425 49.31 19,938 4.83 156,127 62.38

California 4,009,245 5.43 17,911 0.50 3,610 4.20 5,710 5.58

Colorado 1,632,685 6.28 14,550 3.45 625 0.08 2,442 0.11

Connecticut 266,245 4.80 91,872 8.37 0 0.00 31 20.53

Delaware 149,042 3.08 0 0.00 80 1.01 3,624 53.68

Florida 339,813 1.91 301,449 45.50 6,413 16.76 48,769 93.74

Georgia 1,804,933 12.55 5,661,638 88.10 110,372 41.86 297,059 93.95

Hawaii 293,829 5.24 6,820 44.42 0 0.00 489 99.80

Idaho 111,013 0.81 25,065 4.44 4,119 3.97 14,108 2.18

Illinois 1,208,471 10.49 168,614 63.38 2,389 1.38 187,143 18.18

Indiana 587,127 2.98 26,271 5.12 19 0.07 40,461 14.45

Iowa 173,892 0.69 56,783 21.43 1,813 0.49 101,503 6.12

Kansas 159,977 0.71 45,633 3.08 0 0.00 7,181 0.28

Kentucky 529,767 4.73 372,827 51.09 5,710 12.23 33,023 9.86


hunting and fishing, help forest landowners and farmers who own forests implement practices to keep our water

and our air clean, and help landowners combat insects, disease, and invasive species.

3. Open market opportunities for traditional forest products, renewable energy, and ecosystem services.

Without strong markets for both traditional and emerging forest products, forest owners have difficulty

keeping their land forested and healthy. Strong markets give landowners resources to reinvest in their land.

While markets are driven in large part by private-sector activities, there are a number of policies and tools that

Congress can use to stimulate market opportunities.

4. Strengthen uSDA efforts to combat invasive species. According to the U.S. Forest Service, roughly 58

million acres of forests are at risk of increased mortality due to insects and disease. Ever-increasing threats

from invasive plants, pests, and pathogens make it even more difficult for forest owners to manage their land

sustainability. Congress can provide some future forest ecosystem certainty by helping to mitigate the effects

and control the future introductions of invasive species.

5. Create new tools for educating the next generation about forests and the environment. Family forest owners know all too well the need to educate the next generation about forests. With more than

15 percent of private forests owned by people age 75 or older, the fate of the nation’s private forests will be in

the hands of the next generation very soon.

Forestry in selected 2011 uSDA conservation programsAPPEnDIx

Forests in the Farm Bill Progress Report: 2012 Updated Edition20

State

Program Data for 2011

Programs Measured in Dollars Spent Programs Measured in Acres Enrolled

EQIP Funding for Forests*

Percent of Total EQIP Funds

WHIP Funding for Forests*

Percent of Total WHIP Funds

CSP Forest Acres^

Percent of Total CSP Acres

CRP Forest Acres ~

Percent of Total CRP Acres

Louisiana 557,935 3.58 728,928 38.58 30,096 9.88 207,130 63.67

Maine 507,278 4.81 652,512 26.60 6,783 74.78 718 5.29

Maryland 59,737 0.94 0 0.00 330 2.96 18,309 23.40

Massachusetts 436,549 6.68 208,533 16.64 590 65.35 0 0.00

Michigan 640,705 3.29 281,208 60.34 10,414 13.79 17,666 7.94

Minnesota 844,591 3.52 45,760 12.41 27,489 4.98 107,416 6.86

Mississippi 1,884,892 7.04 1,054,478 67.49 24,431 10.60 703,519 84.82

Missouri 500,984 1.70 101,906 28.49 36,374 10.42 57,161 4.42

Montana 1,452,086 7.48 97,210 48.07 27,701 2.87 3,860 0.15

Nebraska 775,328 3.43 28,503 7.09 283 0.02 39,364 3.91

Nevada 48,154 0.61 25,875 4.15 0 0.00 0 0.00

New Hampshire 387,954 11.53 310,930 35.69 0 0.00 13 100.00

New Jersey 61,724 1.28 23,985 7.97 0 0.00 353 14.84

New Mexico 566,016 2.60 306,107 39.26 1,840 0.20 5,330 1.27

New York 397,239 2.88 172,395 15.69 3,106 8.86 15,390 29.84

North Carolina 359,027 2.09 740,422 59.39 15,722 35.82 86,149 77.12

North Dakota 1,708,683 9.66 135,170 15.99 1,193 0.19 7,336 0.31

Ohio 1,455,624 8.67 122,983 52.57 1,475 4.85 24,074 7.13

Oklahoma 721,645 3.22 9,768 5.30 1,755 0.24 2,798 0.34

Oregon 1,674,221 10.90 71,111 7.23 22,152 7.11 40,085 7.33

Pennsylvania 775,132 5.83 444,697 54.49 7,409 21.80 27,225 13.32

Rhode Island 322,782 9.99 265,732 67.60 148 100.00 0 0.00

South Carolina 178,017 2.05 2,047,845 76.10 39,271 50.43 124,719 86.60

South Dakota 1,594,736 10.10 175,950 21.76 0 0.00 31,657 2.87

Tennessee 167,665 1.47 27,550 2.09 4,336 13.95 44,475 23.21

Texas 3,304,100 3.88 521,635 5.30 4,890 0.98 41,006 1.22

Utah 79,568 0.50 9,453 2.31 0 0.00 212 0.12

Vermont 209,233 2.30 232,952 22.06 241 100.00 2,549 89.41

Virginia 693,125 6.00 168,617 23.01 16,930 36.40 41,809 67.71

Washington 1,509,784 11.63 97,336 26.11 10,739 3.30 26,595 1.79

West Virginia 331,567 4.67 176,963 19.01 25,037 54.93 5,100 83.74

Wisconsin 492,414 2.85 962 0.35 46,508 18.31 88,731 23.83

Wyoming 85,479 0.60 11,025 1.87 0 0.00 5,870 2.72

TOTAL 40,729,313 4.70 19,225,657 31.67 629,222 4.93 2,959,763 9.98

* Source: NRCS Protracts 10/01/2011

^ Source: NRCS, accessed 01/19/12

~ Source: FSA monthly report Dec 2011

The American Forest Foundation would like to thank our partners for

their help in completing this Progress Report. A special thanks to the

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Farm Service

Agency for providing data, our Tree Farmers for sharing their stories,

and the National Association of Conservation Districts for their input.

Cover Photo: STIHL Photo Contest photo by Peggy McDaniel Page 1: Three generations family: STIHL Photo Contest photo by Wallace Erickson Page 4: Photo of Jim Soto by Rob AmbergPage 5: STIHL Photo Contest photo by Brian FussellPage 10: STIHL Photo Contest submission by Micheal GajdaPage 17: Photo of John Burke by Rob Amberg

The American Tree Farm System® (ATFS) is a member of the PEFC Council. ATFS is the forest certification program of the American Forest Foundation. Promoting sustainable forest management. For more information: www.pefc.org

www.treefarmsystem.org

W e G r o W S t e W a r d S h i p e v e r y d a y

1111 Nineteenth Street, NW

Suite 780

Washington, dC 20036

202.463.2431

www.forestfoundation.org

© 2012

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