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USDA - Natural Resources
Conservation Service
FY 2012 Financial Assistance Programs Available for Woodland
Owners
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
This program addresses identified natural resource concerns, including those related to forestland such as, Sheet and Rill Erosion, Noxious and Invasive Plants, T&E Declining Plant Species, and many, many more.
This is a “cost-share” program that offers payment rates of 75% and 90% (of the average state cost) to install specific conservation practices.
Some of those practices include:
Practice Name Component Unit Type Unit Cost
PRESCRIBED BURNING
Must currently have a basal area of 80sqft/acre or less. Exceptions MUST be based on the documented recommendation of an NRCS forester, NRCS biologist, or partner biologist. Burn plan must be prepared
by a Certified Forester, Consulting Forester, or TSP.Acre 19.50
FIREBREAKS Fire Breaks. Apply the practice according to the Conservation practice standard. LnFt 0.21
TREE/SHRUB SITE PREPARATION Mechanical Site Prep. Apply the practice according to the Conservation Practice Standard. Acre 101.25
TREE/SHRUB SITE PREPARATION
Burn. For the establishment of trees and shrubs on cropland, pasture or hayland. Must be part of a plan that includes Tree and Shrub Establishment (612).A burn plan must be prepared by a Certified Forester,
Consulting Forester, or TSP Acre 18.75
TREE/SHRUB SITE PREPARATION
Site Prep Chemical for tree and shrub establishment. For the establishment of trees and shrubs on cropland, pasture or hayland. Must be part of a plan that includes Tree and Shrub Establishment (612).
Practice requires WinPST assessment Acre 75.00
TREE/SHRUB SITE PREPARATION
Herbaceous Weed Control for tree and shrub establishment. For the establishment of trees and shrubs on cropland, pasture or hayland. Must be part of a plan that includes Tree and Shrub Establishment
(612). Practice requires WinPST assessment Acre 30.00
TREE/SHRUB SITE PREPARATION
Subsoil for Plow Hardpan. (This is required for planting of longleafs into fallow fields, cropland and pastureland.) Acre 23.06
TREE/SHRUB SITE PREPARATION Scalping. Apply the practice according to the Conservation Practice Standard Acre 15.38
TREE/SHRUB ESTABLISHMENT
Tree Planting Loblolly Pine. Survival rate should be a minimum of 300 trees per acre after year one. Apply the practice according to the Conservation Practice Standard Acre 55.09
TREE/SHRUB ESTABLISHMENT
Tree Planting Longleaf Pine. Planting rates are limited to 622 trees per acre or less at a maxiumum 7X10 spacing. Acre 99.45
TREE/SHRUB ESTABLISHMENT Tree Planting Native Hardwood species, includes native fruit trees, flowering species. Acre 68.85
TREE/SHRUB ESTABLISHMENT Tree Shelter No 2.34
FOREST TRAILS AND LANDINGS Traversable Waterbar and Dip. Apply the practice according to the Conservation Practice Standard No 75.53
FOREST STAND IMPROVEMENT
Forest Stand Improvement for Wildlife - Removal of competition by herbicide or harvest. Use WHIG. For pine stands, planned basal area must be 80 sq/ft/acre, or less. Apply according to Practice Standard. Acre 45.00
FOREST STAND IMPROVEMENT
Forest Stand Improvement (Mechanical) removal of dense under brush woody competition on forest land, for pine stands, planned basal area must be 80 sq/ft/ac or less. Use the WHIG to document the need for
creating diversity within the planning area. Acre 228.50
Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)
This program specifically addresses wildlife related resource concerns such as, T&E Declining Species, Inadequate Cover/Shelter, Inadequate Food or Space, Habitat Fragmentation, and others.
This is a “cost-share” program that offers payment rates of 75% and 90% (of the average state cost) to install specific conservation practices.
Some of those practices in addition to the ones listed under EQIP include:
Practice Name Component Unit Type Unit Cost
HERBACEOUS WEED CONTROL
Terrestrial herbaceous invasive species, See SC Major Invasive Species of Concern list for invasive species that can be cost shared. Practice requires WinPST assessment and mitigation documentation
as necessary Acre 221.63
HERBACEOUS WEED CONTROL
Site Prep-Chemical for wildlife habitat (conversion to native herbaceous groundcover). Apply the Practice according to the Conservation Practice Standard Acre 94.13
CONSERVATION COVERIntroduced Species (Planting 1 or more introduced or native species). No Invasive Species, See South
Carolina Conservation Cover Technical Guide 327b, Introduced Species for Guidance Acre 190.21
CONSERVATION COVERNative Warm Season Grasses (3 species) See South Carolina Conservation Cover Technical Guide
327a, Using Native Species, for Guidance Acre 233.15
CONSERVATION COVERNative Herbaceous Cover (2 or more Native Grasses and 2 or more Native Legumes/Forbs) See South
Carolina Conservation Cover Technical Guide 327a, Using Native Species, for Guidance. Acre 359.75
CONSERVATION COVERLegumes (Native preferred) See South Carolina Conservation Cover Technical Guides 327 a and b for
Guidance. Acre 209.08
CONSERVATION COVERFlowering plants for pollinators (Plant a mix of 1 species of grass and 9 species of forbs, herb and/or
flowering shrubs native to southeast U.S.) See Pollinator Technical Guide 327c, for Guidance Acre 528.89
FIELD BORDER
Native Species (For wildlife benefit, See South Carolina Conservation Cover Technical Guide 327a Using Native Species, for Guidance). Apply the practice according to the Conservation practice
standard. Acre 222.81
FIELD BORDER
Planted Introduced Species (For wildlife benefit, See South Carolina Conservation Cover Technical Guide 327b Using Introduced Species, for Guidance). Apply the practice according to the
Conservation practice standard. Acre 189.09
RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT OF
DECLINING SPECIES
Planting local ecotype native grass and forbs, and wiregrass (seeds or plugs) for community restoration, must be planned in conjunction with Conservation Cover 327 practice. Apply the practice
according to the Conservation Practice Standard Acre 428.25
UPLAND WILDLIFE HABITAT MANAGEMENT Nesting /Roosting Structures for Birds/Bats Each 38.63
EARLY SUCCESSIONAL WILDLIFE HABITAT Rotational Disking (Payment on Only those acres actually disked each year) Acre 24.48
WHIP Longleaf Initiative
This program focuses specifically on the re-establishment of the native Longleaf Pine ecosystem
National Initiative that includes 9 states where Longleaf Pine has a “historic range”
Practices offered include: Tree/Shrub Establishment Prescribed Burning Forest Stand Improvement Restoration and Management of Rare and
Declining Habitats
WHIP Longleaf Initiative
Firebreaks Tree/Shrub Site Preparation Forest Trails and Landings Upland Wildlife Habitat Management Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management Early Successional Habitat Development/Mgt. Access Control Pest Management Conservation Cover Brush Management Herbaceous Weed Control
Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
This program rewards those landowners that are already practicing good conservation by offering financial assistance to “enhance” existing conservation activities.
This is an “annual payment” program and the rates are calculated based on points that the application receives.
Some of the “enhancements” offered include:
ANM15 Forest stand improvement for Wildlife Habitat and Soil QualityCreating snags, den trees, and coarse woody debris on the forest floor to a level optimum for native wildlife usage and long-term forest soil health. May be implemented separately or during thinning or harvesting
ANM18 Retrofit watering facility for wildlife escapeRetrofit existing watering facilities (troughs, tanks, etc.) to allow for escape of wildlife that become trapped while trying to drink.
ANM19 Wildlife corridorsWildlife corridors are linear strips of vegetation that connect 2 or more patches of suitable wildlife habitat. Participants will establish vegetative corridors as described below.
ANM20 Silvopasture for wildlife habitat Manage silvopastures to promote plant diversity for wildlife habitat.
PLT01 Establish pollinator habitat
Establish nectar and pollen producing plants in non-cropped areas such as field borders, vegetative barriers, contour buffer strips, waterways, shelterbelts, windbreaks, conservation cover, and riparian forest and herbaceous buffers.
PLT03 Forest stand improvement, pre-treating vegetation and fuelsManage vegetation and fuels in a forested area with mechanical/manual methods to facilitate future treatment with prescribed fire to restore native forest condition.
PLT04 Forest stand improvement, prescribed burningPrescribed use of fire in a forest to restore native forest conditions with a focus on improving the condition of fire-adapted plants and wildlife habitat and reducing the risk of damage from intense, severe wildfires.
PLT05Multi-story cropping, sustainable management of non-timber forest plants
Manipulation of forest species composition, structure, and canopy cover to achieve or maintain a desired native plant community to facilitate the sustainable management of native non-timber forest plant(s) (e.g., goldenseal, ramps, mushrooms, ginseng, ferns, “sugarbush”, etc.).
PLT07 Hardwood crop tree releaseHardwood Crop Tree Release (CTR) in hardwood stands is a silvicultural technique used to enhance the performance of individual trees, while improving other objectives such as wildlife management, recreation, timber value, and aesthetics.
PLT11 Conifer Crop Tree ReleaseA silvicultural technique for western softwood forests used to enhance the performance of individual trees, while improving other objectives such as wildlife management, recreation, timber value, and aesthetics.
PLT12 Patch HarvestingPatch Harvesting is a silvicultural practice used to naturally regenerate over-mature and/or degraded hardwood stands while providing added cover and browse for several game and non-game species of wildlife.
PLT13 Forest Stand Improvement for Wildfire Reduction
Requiring landowners to approach wildfire management by establishing fire lines (where appropriate and applicable), fuel breaks (where appropriate and applicable), develop an approved fire plan which would include plan to maintain critical access roads, scouting, access control, identification of water sources, critical contacts, training and posting of plans and phone numbers.
PLT14Alley cropping establishment for wildlife and beneficial insect habitat
Planting trees or shrubs in alternating rows with row crops, forage or horticultural crops in areas between the rows, providing plant diversity, improve soil quality and wildlife habitat.
SQL08 Forest Stand Improvement for Soil Quality The management of the forest to improve the soil quality in the forest.
Healthy Forest Reserve Program (HFRP)
This program focuses on the restoration and enhancement of forest ecosystems for threatened/endangered species.
In SC, the program focuses on Longleaf Pine Ecosystems and the protection of the Red-cockaded Woodpecker.
This program offers permanent or 30-year easements and 10-year cost share agreements.
How do you apply for NRCS programs?
STEP 1: Contact your local NRCS District
Conservationist and schedule an appointment to begin the conservation planning process.
For woodland owners, this means developing a forest management plan (which is a required element for EQIP financial assistance).
How do you apply for NRCS programs?STEP 2: Obtain a Farm and Tract number with the Farm
Service Agency to become a USDA participant.
STEP 3: Complete the necessary application forms including,
but not limited to the:
CPA-1200 – Application FormSF-1199 – Direct Deposit FormFSA-211 – Power of Attorney (if applicable)CCC-901 or 902 – Member’s Information Sheet (if legal entity)CCC-931 – Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)AD-1026 - Highly Erodible Land (HEL) and Wetland
Determination Form
What are the eligibility requirements for NRCS programs ?1. Must be an individual or legal entity
2. Must have Signature Authority
3. Owner or actively engaged in the management of the agricultural or forestry operation being enrolled. Documented by either of the following:
a. Records from FSA to identify owner or operator
b. Production of $1,000 in Ag products produced, sold or both. Woodland owners are EXEMPT from this requirement.
What are the eligibility requirements for NRCS programs ?4. Have control of the land
5. Be in compliance with HEL and wetland provisions
6. Meet AGI requirements:a. Non-farm income cannot exceed $1M
(unless 66.66% of the total Non-farm and Farm is FARM income)
b. Farm income cannot exceed $750,000
7. Be within the appropriate Farm Bill payment limitations ($300,000 over 6 year period of 2009-2014)
What are the eligibility requirements for NRCS programs ?8. Meet Historically Underserved criteria if
self-certifying as such to receive the 90% payment rate
9. Have an identified resource concern that may be addressed through the program you are applying for
What is “Historically Underserved”
Participants meeting one of the three categories of “historically underserved” are eligible for the 90% payment rate. Those are:
1. New/Beginning Farmer – must meet BOTH
a. Not operated for more than 10 consecutive years
b. Must provide the day-to-day operations (labor)
What is “Historically Underserved”
2. Socially Disadvantaged – includes all minority participants
3. Limited Resource Farmer – must meet BOTH
a. Gross farm sales of not more than the current indexed value in EACH of the previous 2 years
b. Total household income AT or BELOW the national poverty level for a family of four
For more information on this designation please go to: http://www.lrftool.sc.egov.usda.gov
Obligations in 2010 and 2011EQIP
2010 – $8 M (about $400,000 in Forestland)2011 – $8.67 M (about $345,000 in Forestland)
WHIP2010 – $2.2 M ($1.1 M in the Longleaf Initiative)2011 – $2.7 M ($1.5 M in the Longleaf Initiative)
CSP2010 – $1.1 M in Forestland2011 – $230,000 in Forestland
HFRP2011 - $950,000
Contact Information
Kellee Melton, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs
Shaun Worley, Program Specialist for EQIP, WHIP, HFRP
Glenn Sandifer, Program Specialist for [email protected]
