Frequently Asked Questions
-What is the Forest Stewardship Program?
The Forest Stewardship Program (FSP) is a forest management oriented program that offers private woodland owners written guidance and finacial assistance to protect and improve the timber, wildlife, soils, water, recreation and aesthetic values of their forest. In each state, the program is administered trough a State Stewardship Coordinating Committee made up of representatives from federal, state and private natural resource agencies, environmental organizations, forest landowners, and industry.
-What is the Goal of the FSP?
The FSP assists landowners in actively managing their forest resources, in maintaining the lands in a productive and healthy condition for present and future owners, and in increasing the economic and environmental benefits of these lands. The goal of the program is to provide landowners with written Forest Stewardship Management Plans that outline management activities based on a landowner's objectives. Plans can be diverse and contain many objectives or may be oriented to achieve one main objective. Whatever the landowner's interest, assistance is available to help protect and improve soils and water, enhance wildlife habitat, create recreational opportunities, maintain aesthetics, protect endanger species, and improve timber and wood product potential, while ensuring the forest's capacity for self-renewal.
-What are the Eligibility Requirements for Enrollment?
Nonindustrial private woodland owners who own between 10 and 1,000 acres of qualifying woodland or potential woodland are eligible to participate. Exceptions can be granted for up to 5,000 acres. To qualify, woodland must be rural with existing tree cover or other woody vegetation, or suitable for growing such vegetation, and owned by an individual, group, association, private corporation or other legal private entity.
-How Can a Landowner Enroll?
A landowner can become a forest steward by having a Forest Stewardship Management Plan developed by a stewardship certified professional forester or other resource planner. Through the service forester and participating agencies, and with cost-share incentives, landowners can obtain technical and financial assistance to develop a Forest Stewardship Management Plan. Stewardship Plans document landowner objectives for protecting and improving the forest and related resources and outline activities to accomplish these goals. Once enrolled, landowners will receive a certificate and a Forest Stewardship sign to post on their property and will be eligible to apply for financial assistance through the Stewardship Incentive Program.
-What is the Stewardship Incentive Program?
The Stewardship Incentive Program (SIP) is a companion program to the FSP designed to provide financial assistance to participating landowners. Landowners who enroll in FSP are eligible to receive up to 75% cost-sharing through SIP to implement practices that have been outlined in their Forest Stewardship Management Plan.
-What Other Agencies and Organizations Are Involved?
The following federal, state, and private natural resource agencies and organizations are participating in the FSP and SIP, assisting West Virginia landowners with enrollment, cost-sharing and SIP practice implementation:
Professional Resource Management Consultants: Private consulting foresters, wildlife biologists, and other certified forest resource planners can develop Forest Stewardship Management Plans for landowners. Consultants can also help guide landowners through SIP application and cost-sharing procedures and with SIP practice implementation.
USDA Consolidated Farm Service Agency: The USDA Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service accepts and processes SIP applications for cost-sharing. CFSA is also responsible for initiation of SIP cost-sharing payments.
WVDNR: WVDNR Wildlife Section provides technical advice for the preparation of Forest Stewardship Plans for landowners who have a primary interest in wildlife and/or endanger species management. The Division provides specifications for wildlife SIP practice implementation and provides comprehensive wildlife management information to interested individuals.
USDA Natural Resources I Conservation Service: The USDA Soil Conservation Service can provide planning assistance to landowners who have a primary interest in soil, water, and wetland protection and improvement. The NRCS also assists with implementation guidelines for several SIP practices.
State Soil Conservation Agency: The State Soil Conservation Agency through its Resource Management Training Center coordinates training and educational workshops for nonindustrial private forest landowners.
Soil Conservation Districts: The Soil Conservation Districts provide standards and guidelines for soil and water conservation practices, promote forest stewardship and in certain areas provide crews to help forest landowners implement certain forestry practices.