The Forest Legacy Program is a partnership between States and the USDA Forest Service to identify and help conserve environmentally important forests from conversion to nonforest uses. The main tool used for protecting these important forests is conservation easements.
Eligible Recipients:
Landowners with property which lies partially or entirely within a designated Forest Legacy Area.
Eligible Projects:
Participation in the program is entirely voluntary. The primary method of protection is with conservation easements in which landowners sell a portion of the property rights and retain ownership of the land. The use of conservation easements allows the land to remain in private ownership and ensures that important public values such as wildlife habitat, natural areas, forest resources, and outdoor recreation opportunities are protected. Participating landowners may prefer to sell the property outright in which case the land would be owned by the State and managed as State Forest land.
Funding Source:
USDA Forest Service, NYSDEC, local and private sources
Funding Amount:
Varies
Matching Requirements:
Federal Funding: 75%
State, Local or Private Funding: 25%
Deadline:
Recurring
Contact:
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Division of Lands and Forests
625 Broadway, 5th Fl.
Albany, NY 12233
518-402-9405
Fax: 518-402-9028
lflands@gw.dec.state.ny.us
More Information:
www.dec.ny.gov/lands/63117.html