Forest Legacy Program in State-wide Assessments and Strategies

1. Forest Legacy Program in State-wide Assessments and Strategies Deirdre Raimo NA Forest Legacy Program Manager US Forest Service Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry

2. Presentation Overview • What Happens to Assessments of Need? • How are AONs incorporated into State Assessment and Strategy documents? • What if we want to keep our current Eligibility Criteria and Forest Legacy Areas (FLAs)? • What if we want to change either our Eligibility Criteria or FLAs? • FLA Identification

3. What Happens to Assessments of Need?

4. Assessment of Need • A document produced by a State or a Federally recognized Indian Tribe, in consultation with the State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee. The AON contains Eligibility Criteria developed by the State to identify important forest areas to be proposed as Forest Legacy Areas (FLA) , and acts as guide to implement the FLP in the State.

5. Assessments of Need (AONs) • June 2010, Current State FLP AON will disappear/evaporate/vanish/fade-away/ebb/depart/cease to exist/expire

6. Assessments of Need (AONs) • If you want to request FLP funds in the future you must incorporate FLP planning requirements into State-wide Assessments/Strategies

7. Eligibility Criteria • Set of standards developed by the State Lead Agency, in consultation with the SFSCC; used to evaluate geographic areas to determine if the areas qualify as a Forest Legacy Area (FLA).

8. Forest Legacy Area (FLA) • A delineated geographic area that has been found to contain environmentally important forest values (i.e. satisfy the Eligibility Criteria). Acquisition of lands and interests in lands for the FLP can only occur within approved FLAs.

9. Assessments of Need (AONs) • Approvals are required for Eligibility Criteria and Forest Legacy Areas (FLAs) • Approval should be evidenced in Assessment or Strategy document if no change; • Must be proposed to seek approval if to change.

10. How are AONs incorporated into State Assessment and Strategy documents?

11. Incorporating AONs into State Assessment & Strategy Documents Assessment Participants should be expanded to include Land Trusts; and FLP State Lead Agencies in States where the State Lead Agency is not a Forestry agency. (In NA: Maine and New Jersey)

12. Incorporating AONs into State-wide Assessments • Expand Assessment requirements to meet FLP requirements • Aesthetic and Scenic resources • Public recreation opportunities • Threatened and endangered species • Forest products & forest management opportunities • Cultural resources • Outstanding geological features • Protected land in the State • Historic uses of the Forest

13. What if we want to keep our current Eligibility Criteria and Forest Legacy Areas (FLAs)?

14. Keep Current Eligibility Criteria and FLAs • Eligibility Criteria should be included in the Assessment or Strategy document; • FLA(s) should be included in the Assessment or Strategy document; • All FLP approval letters from the Secretary of Agriculture or the Chief of the Forest Service should be added to the Assessment or Strategy document.

15. Keep Current Eligibility Criteria and FLAs • Maintain the current FLA description requirements in a section of the Strategy document. • Required SFSCC involvement for the Assessment and Strategy documents would be sufficient public involvement for FLP purposes.

16. What if we want to change either our Eligibility Criteria or FLAs?

17. Change Either Eligibility Criteria or FLA • Propose Eligibility Criteria • Propose FLA or FLA changes • Include evidence of public involvement • FLA Public involvement requirements exceed Assessment and Strategy public involvement requirements • Local governments have to be notified that land or interests in land may be purchased in their land area.

18. Change Either Eligibility Criteria or FLA • Documentation of the expanded public involvement process is required; and must be included in the Assessment or Strategy document.

19. Forest Legacy Area (FLA) Identification

20. Forest Legacy Area (FLA) Identification • FLA Identification consist of specific requirements 1. Location of each geographic area on a map and a written description of the proposed FLA boundary; 2. Summary of the analysis used to identify the FLA and its consistency with the Eligibility Criteria; 3. Identification of important environmental values, and how they will be protected and conserved; 4. The conservation goals or objectives in each FLA; 5. List of public benefits that will be derived from establishing each FLA; 6. Identification of the governmental entity or entities that may hold lands or interests in lands (State grant option) or may be assigned management responsibilities for the lands and interests in lands enrolled in the program (Federal option); and 7. Documentation of the public involvement process and analysis of the issues raised.

21. Forest Legacy Area (FLA) Identification • FLA Identification must be included in either the Assessment or Strategy document and makes most sense in the Strategy document. • Could be part of a more expansive land protection section of the Strategy document.

22. FLP Summary • FLAs do NOT have to coincide with the High Priority Areas; • FLP requirements support the land or interests in land acquisition process; • If you keep these 2 things in mind, it may help understand the limits of flexibility that you have in incorporating the FLP into the State-wide Assessments and Strategy documents.