Virginia’s Forest Stewardship Program

A Forest Management

Planning Program

For Landowners

Forest Stewardship Program

Created as part of the 1990 Farm Bill

USDA Forest Service funded, state administered

Voluntary, no obligation

Primary emphasis:

Promote good forest management practices

Develop multiple-use management plans for landowners

Help landowners reach their goals through implementing recommended practices

Who May Participate

Private Non-Industrial Forest landowners with a minimum 10 acres of forest

Desire to manage land based on stewardship principles:

Maintain and enhance the value of forests

Within context of long-term plan

Objectives that are socially, economically and environmentally responsible

Timber Management

Wildlife Management

Soil & Water Conservation

Recreation

Aesthetics FOREST

STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM

Getting A Stewardship Plan

Submit a completed application to Department of Forestry

Choose a forester to develop the Plan

Forester examines the property with the landowner, if possible

Forester develops the Plan

Other natural resource professional review the Plan, if necessary

Final Plan is completed and sent to the landowner

Plan Preparation Costs

Department of Forestry Forester:

$1.50 per acre for every planned acre

Minimum $200 per Plan

Approved Consultant or Industry Forester

Market rate for plan preparation

Negotiation with the landowner

Program Benefits

A customized forest management plan

Map, stand characteristics, recommendations, planning timelines

Meets the planning requirements for the Tree Farm Program and forest certification

Meets the planning requirements for Forest Use- Value taxation

Increases the ranking points for inclusion in Federal Cost-Share Assistance Programs

Program Benefits

Meets the requirement for applying for Riparian Forest Buffer Tax Credit

Meets the requirement for placing land under a conservation easement

Helps meet the sustainability requirements necessary for ecosystem services markets

Potential to assist landowner in participation in markets for energy/biofuels

Certified Forest Steward

Have a Forest Stewardship Plan written for your property.

Implement several of the Plan’s multi-resource benefit practices.

Contact the Department of Forestry to schedule a Stewardship certification visit.

Receive a Stewardship Forest sign to display on the property and a plaque.

The Plan Process

Initial Field Visit

Office Prep.

Maps

Web searches

Soils information

Data Collection

Writing Plan

Presentation of Plan

Initial Field Visit

Goals & objectives

History & past management practices

Property boundaries

Unique land features

Items of Interest

Initial Field Visit

Address Concerns

Non-native invasive species

Pest & disease

Access

Illegal trespass

Follow Up Field Visit

Field Data Collection

Vegetative & tree species inventory

Wildlife habitat assessment

Soil types & conditions

Components

Components/Products

Components/Products

Cost Share Programs

Reforestation of Timberlands (RT) Practice 1: Planting loblolly or Virginia pine - $22 per acre.

Practice 2: Site preparation and planting loblolly or Virginia pine - $60 per acre. Includes herbicide spraying and planting open or abandoned fields.

Practice 3: Planting shortleaf, white, pitch-loblolly, or longleaf pine - $48 per acre.

Practice 4: Site preparation and planting shortleaf, white, pitch-loblolly, or longleaf pine - $85 per acre.

Practice 5: Herbicide site preparation and planting (any species on cutover lands) - $90 per acre.

Practice 6: Aerial Herbicide release application for all pines except white - $20 per acre.

Practice 7: Herbicide release application for white pine - $43 per acre.

Ground release application - $43/acre.

Cost share rates shall not exceed 75% of the total cost of the project.

Cost Share Programs

Riparian Forest Buffer Tax Credit The 2000 Virginia General Assembly enacted the Riparian Buffer Tax Credit to provide a nonrefundable tax credit to:

Individuals, S-Corporations or Partnerships;

• Estates and Trusts are not eligible for this tax credit, but Family Partnerships and Limited Liability Corporations are eligible.

• owning land on which timber is harvested, which abuts a waterway, and who forbears timber harvesting on certain portions of the land for 15 consecutive years.

The amount of the credit is equal to 25 percent of the value of the timber retained as a buffer up to $17,500. The buffer must be at least 35 feet wide and no more than 300 feet and be intact for 15 years.

The applicant must have a Stewardship Plan for the tract to qualify!

A separate application must be completed for each tract. Application fee of $150 each.

Cost Share Programs

Forestry Quail Habitat Recovery Program designed to enhance Bobwhite Quail habitat for private, non-industrial forest landowners within the 15 county area: Bland, Wythe, Greensville, Southampton, Sussex, Halifax, Augusta, Essex, King and Queen, King William, Culpeper, Greene, Madison, Rappahannock, and Orange.

Practice 1: Herbicide Application to Thinned Pine Stands. 50% of cost not to exceed $100/acre, pine stands must have been commercially thinned at least once. Practice 2: Commercial Thinning in Small Acreage Stands Pine stands from 5-25 acres, one contiguous pine stand per tract, must be first commercial thinning, $100/acre.

Practice 3: Shortleaf Pine Planting 90% of costs not to exceed $200/acre, can include site preparation costs, must eliminate existing ground cover, maximum of 434 trees per acre (10x10ft).

Practice 4: Pre-Commercial Pine Thinning 90% of costs not to exceed $125/acre, thinned to about 10x12 spacing

Total payment shall not exceed $10,000 per fiscal year per landowner (tax id entity)

Cost Share Programs

Federal Program (administered by NRCS). Based on point ranking system. Can assist forest landowners with:

Forest Management Plan

Brush Management

Prescribed Burning

Critical Area Planting

Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment

Silvopasture

Fencing

Riparian Forest Buffer Planting

Firebreak Establishment

Access Control (animal exclusion)

Mulching

Forest Site Preparation

Tree/Shrub Establishment

Restoration & Mgmt of Rare & Declining Habitats

Road/Trail/Landing Closure & Treatment

Forest Stand Improvement

EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentive Program)

A Productive, Healthy Forest

Is Worth the Management Effort !

Contact Information

Terry Lasher, Senior Area Forester

NOVA Team Area, Central Region

Terry.lasher@dof.virginia.gov

540-347-6358

www.dof.virginia.gov Team Area Counties – Arlington, Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun, Fauquier, Rappahannock, Culpeper and the City of Alexandria