Forest Service grants $52.2M to protect working forests, rural economies

Earlier in the week the U.S. Forest Service announced that it is granting $52.2 million for 17 conservation and working lands projects across the U.S. in 2012.

The Forest Legacy Program has protected 2.2 million acres through public-private partnership using federal and leveraged funds of more than $562 million. The program works with private landowners, states and conservation groups to promote sustainable, working forests. Forest Legacy is an important component of the President�s America�s Great Outdoors initiative�s goal of conserving rural working farms, ranches, and forests by accelerating locally-driven landscape conservation priorities.

Intact forest lands supply timber products, wildlife habitat, soil and watershed protection, aesthetics, and recreational opportunities. However, as these areas are fragmented and disappear, so do the benefits they provide. Roughly 57 percent of the nation's forests are privately owned yet the country has lost 15 million acres of private working forests in the last 10 years with an additional 22 million acres projected to be at risk from development, wildfire and other threats in the next decade.

The Forest Legacy Program uses a competitive process to strategically select ecologically and socially important projects facing the greatest threat of conversion to other land uses. Projects that protect clean air and water, provide recreation, protect wildlife habitat, supports large-scale land conservation partnerships, and provide forest-related rural jobs receive strong consideration.

The state of Tennessee is the recipient of one the 13 major projects announced:

The Fiery Gizzard project ($500,000) will protect more than 3,200 acres within the South Cumberland region of Tennessee. The conservation easement will ensure that the extensive tablelands on the property are protected from development, sustainable forest management continues, hunting activities are maintained and important wildlife habitat is conserved.

To view information on the other projects receiving grants, please click here.


Jeff
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US Forest Service Announces 2011 Fee Waiver Dates

Earlier in the year the U.S. Forest Service announced that they will be waiving day-use fees associated with many recreation sites or amenities in national forests nationwide on several days this year.

The next date for fee waivers will be on September 25th, National Public Lands Day.

The remaining fee waiver dates will occur during Veterans� Day Weekend � November 11-13.

Day-use fees will be waived at all standard amenity fee sites operated by the Forest Service for these listed dates. Concessionaire-operated, day-use sites may be included in the waiver if the permit holder wishes to participate.

Fees are not charged for 98% of national forest and grasslands. More than two-thirds of developed recreation sites can be used for free. The Forest Service operates approximately 18,000 recreation sites nationwide, many including day-use areas, picnic and shelter sites, beach and lake areas, boat launches, trails and trailheads, and campsites and cabins.

To assist with travel planning, the agency has posted a special interactive map on its website that locates national forest sites within a certain radius of a chosen location. Users can type in their location and adjust the radius to suit their travel plans.

Campsites and locations that are reserved online will not be included in the fee waiver. Contact your nearest national forest or grassland for local details.

For more information on the Forest Service�s recreation fee program and how these funds are used, click here.


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