DIVISION OF FORESTRY TO PARTICIPATE IN FOREST LEGACY PROGRAM
The Nature Conservancy and The Conservation Fund Schedule Public Meetings To Gather Required Information
The forests of West Virginia provide employment for thousands of workers and recreational opportunities for millions of residents and visitors annually. At the same time, the state’s woodlands serve as habitat for a rich variety of native wildlife and plants. To protect the state’s forest lands and the jobs, recreation, and wildlife they support, Governor Wise directed the West Virginia Division of Forestry to initiate participation in the federal Forest Legacy Program.
Funded by the US Forest Service, the Forest Legacy Program is a voluntary program to purchase conservation easements on private forestland to protect it from conversion to non-forest uses (such as development). The program is implemented through state agencies working with willing landowners. Currently, 33 states participate in the Forest Legacy Program. President Bush has proposed almost $91 million in funding for the program in his Fiscal Year 2004 budget.
As a voluntary program, the landowner must apply for a property to be considered for Forest Legacy funding; further the land must also be within Forest Legacy Areas to be designated by the state.
For West Virginia to become a participant in the Forest Legacy Program, the Division of Forestry must first complete an Assessment of Need. The Assessment of Need is a report that evaluates existing forest resources and their condition, identify threats to West Virginia’s forests, and designates Forest Legacy Areas. After approval of the Assessment of Need by the USDA Forest Service, West Virginia will be enrolled in the Forest Legacy Program and can begin soliciting projects.
To develop the Assessment of Need, the Division of Forestry has entered into an agreement with The Conservation Fund, a national nonprofit land and water conservation organization that specializes in assisting public agencies with their land conservation programs. The Conservation Fund will be responsible for drafting the report and soliciting public comments, as guided by the Division of Forestry and the State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee.
The Conservation Fund and The Nature Conservancy of West Virginia, another partner in the project, will hold two sets of public meetings to gather comments and information for the Assessment of Need.
Phase One meetings will introduce the Forest Legacy Program, share information on resource assessments, and seek suggestions on areas to be designated as Forest Legacy Areas. Meetings will be held in the following areas:
Charleston March 10, 2003 6:30pm University of Charleston, Appalachian Room
Morgantown March 11, 2003 6:30pm Westvaco Natural Resource Ctr., WVU Forest
Beckley March 12, 2003 6:30pm National Mine Health and Safety Academy
Romney March 13, 2003 6:30pm Taggart Hall, Economic Dev Authority Offices
Phase Two meetings will ask for public comments on the draft Assessment of Need, on proposed Forest Legacy Areas, and on the criteria for selecting Forest Legacy projects. Meetings will be held in the following areas:
Charleston May 5, 2003 6:30pm University of Charleston, Appalachian Room
Morgantown May 6, 2003 6:30pm Westvaco Natural Resource Ctr., WVU Forest
Beckley May 7, 2003 6:30pm National Mine Health and Safety Academy
Romney May 8, 2003 6:30pm Taggart Hall, Economic Dev. Authority Offices
For more details on meeting locations or more information about the Forest Legacy Program Assessment of Need for the State of West Virginia contact toll free 1-866-744-2344, or visit West Virginia’s Forest Legacy website at www.conservationfund.org and click on WV Forest Legacy Program. Email inquiries may be sent to wvforests@conservationfund.org. For more general information on the Forest Legacy Program visit the US Forest Service’s Forest Legacy website at http://www.fs.fed.us/spf/coop/flp.htm.