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NRCS Announces Forest Health Special Initiative

Auburn, Ala. - October 2007

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist Gary Kobylski announced the signup for the new Alabama Forest Health Special Initiative under the Fiscal Year 2008 Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). The first batching date to rank eligible contracts is October 26, 2007.

"The EQIP Forest Health Special Initiative is designed to promote and inform private forest landowners about timber stand improvement practices that can improve growth, reduce risks of insects and diseases, and improve forest health," said Kobylski. NRCS is partnering with the Alabama Forestry Commission on this project.

Eligible lands include pine forest lands that are overstocked and subject to fire hazard, disease, or insect infestation. Applicants must meet the basic guidelines and eligibility requirements:

  1. Must be a minimum of 10 forested acres.
  2. The maximum number of acres for prescribed burning and firebreaks is 500 acres. This payment is for one year only.
  3. The maximum number of acres for Timber Stand Improvement (pre-commercial and commercial thinning) is 200 acres. Eligible acres have a Southern Pine Beetle score of 100 or more.
  4. Forest landowners willing to receive training to become a Certified Burn Manager are eligible to receive a one-time payment of $375 upon providing proof of certification.
  5. The Alabama Forestry Commission will develop a Stand Management Plan for each approved applicant on the offered acres, and NRCS will develop a conservation plan for reporting forest management and related wildlife practices.

Approved Conservation Practices include:

  • Prescribed Burning - Applying fire to predetermined areas under conditions that the intensity and spread of the fire are controlled.
  • Firebreak - A strip of bare land or fire-retarding vegetation.
  • Fuel Break - Control and reduce the risk of the spread of fire by treating, removing, or modifying vegetation, debris, and detritus.
  • Timber Stand Improvement - Precommercial Thinning - Removing undesirable trees from non-merchantable pine stand and lowering the density to acceptable level.
  • Heavy Thinning of Pine Stands - Removing undesirable or lower quality trees from a merchantable pine stand and lowering the density to acceptable level. From a forest management perspective, the "lower quality" or "poor quality" trees are trees which will remain pulpwood quality regardless of size or age.

Lands currently enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), EQIP, Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP), or other Farm Bill Programs are ineligible.

For more information about the program, contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service office.


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