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Cost-Share Money for Forest Management Plans

Update to the following article:  The state of Maine is expecting funding for cost-shared forest management plans in 2010.  They should know how much they will receive in the spring and have the funding in place by mid summer.  If you want a plan, and are willing to wait, fill out an application and send it in. It will be approved as soon as the funding is available.  You will receive a letter explaining the procedures.

Special Note:  This program is currently facing a funding problem.  There was a 39% reduction in federal funding from last year.  Therefore the cost-share money available for forest management plans will be placed on hold for 1 year starting August 1.  If you want a plan written utilizing cost-share funds, it must be submitted before the August 1 deadline.  The e-mail that I received from Donald Mansius, the Director of Forest Policy and Management, explains why this decision was made.  His message is below.

DATE: 20 July 2009
TO: All Stewardship Foresters
FROM: Donald J. Mansius, Director of Forest Policy and Management

SUBJECT: Changes to the WoodWISE program

As many of you already know, appropriations for the federal programs which support WoodsWISE, cost-share programs, and landowner assistance programs have declined steadily over the past decade. These decreases in appropriations have affected programs offered by the USDA Forest Service, State and Private Forestry, which in turn affects programs offered by the Maine Forest Service.

Maine Forest Service recently learned that Forest Stewardship Program funding for the current fiscal year has been reduced by 39% from the previous year. This is the most drastic one-year reduction in program funding that we have experienced in the nearly 20 year history of the program. We regret to announce that we must take immediate action to protect the core of the WoodsWISE program and ensure that we have adequate funding to honor our existing obligations to landowners.

Therefore, effective 01 August 2009, we will accept no new applications for New Forest Management Plans (FMP-1a & b) or Periodic Updates of a Forest Management Plan (FMP -4a & b), for a period of 12 months. If the funding situation improves, we may be able to resume accepting applications sooner; however, there is no indication at this time that will be the case.

Please rest assured that all plans already approved will be reimbursed at the rate indicated on the approval letter. In addition, landowners requiring extensions of greater than 3 months for their Stewardship Forester to complete approved plans may request additional time. Extensions beyond 3 months will be handled on a case by case basis.

We will continue to accept and approve applications for “Amendments of existing forest management plans” (FMP-2), at a reimbursement rate of 50% of cost up to a maximum of $150. Only one amendment per existing plan will be approved during the twelve-month period. The existing plan must still be active, i.e., the planning period has not expired. Documentation of the existing plan, including the date written and the planning period, must accompany the application. Amendments must meet the minimum specifications for a Tree Growth Tax Law management plan, a Silvicultural Operations Plan, a Tree Farm Plan, an EQIP “Appendix” to a WoodsWISE Stewardship Plan, or other plan to be approved by Maine Forest Service.

We have been informed that Congressional appropriations for the Forest Stewardship Program are likely to increase for the next fiscal year, so we anticipate restoring funding for WoodsWISE plans some time next year.

Again, we regret that we must take this action, but circumstances beyond our control have required us to make difficult decisions to protect the core of our landowner assistance programs until the situation turns around.