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FOREST LEGACY PROGRAM
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ADAMS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA |
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Informative Links
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& Wild Places" -
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WWF Alliance |
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USDA Forest Service |
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The Forest Legacy Program is designed to protect forestlands in a manner similar to that afforded farmlands under the Farmland Preservation Program. Funding for the FLP is highly competitive and projects are ranked in accordance with specific criteria.
The Adams County Board of Commissioners (County) in partnership with the Land Conservancy of Adams County, Inc. (LCAC), have been approved and designated by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) as co-sponsors of a USDA Forest Legacy Program (FLP) in Adams County. DCNR administers the FLP in Pennslvania under the Bureau of Forestry (Bureau). In 2006, the Bureau formally approved Adams County as a designated Forest Legacy Area; the first step in the FLP approval process.
The FLP was created with the purpose of protecting "environmentally important forested areas threatened by conversion to non-forest uses, through the use of conservation easements and other mechanisms, for promoting forestland conservation." The County and the LCAC will provide information and assistance outreach to landowners and other interested parties; helping interested landowners through the application and easement processes, assisting with the federal cost-share process, and coordinating public participation. To obtain a PDF copy of the Forest Landowner Legacy Application click here:
Application
Forests and the forestry industry are important to Adams County for a variety of reasons. A study conducted by Penn State Natural Resources Extension in 2000 found that the economic contribution of the forestry/wood products and paper sectors to the County's local economy totals over
$98 million a year.
(Penn State Report) As of the year 2000, Adams County contained 34 forestry and wood product establishments that employed nearly 2,000 employees. The forests of Adams County also provide recreational opportunities such as hiking or trout-fishing along our coldwater streams and healthy habitats for wildlife, including several endangered and threatened species.
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(Several documents on this page are in Adobe format(pdf). For a free version of the adobe reader, please click on the link below)
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Other positive contributions from forested lands include carbon sequestration for cleaner air, protection of water quality through nutrient uptake, sediment reduction, erosion control, run-off prevention and aesthetic values, especially the Arendtsville Narrows, which is known as one of the most scenic areas in the County. Forests cover over 109,000 of the County's total of 332,800 acres, but 83% of these forests are under private ownership and most are not protected from development and other non-compatible land uses. We believe the ability to enroll our local forests in the FLP is a valuable tool to ensure sustainability and continuity of this unique feature of our community.
The overall purpose of the FLP in Pennsylvania is to help protect and conserve working forests, while maintaining private ownership of the land. The FLP will work to develop, and sustain, partnerships with landowners, communities, non-profit groups and other organizations to protect forestland.
The Forest Legacy Program in Pennsylvania has seven main goals.
1. To maintain traditional forests uses, including recreation and timber harvesting following best
management practices.
2. To maintain productivity of forests for future generations.
3. To reduce the trend toward forest parcelization.
4. To conserve significant tracts of contiguous forest.
5. To conserve water resources and riparian zones.
6. To conserve important habitats for plants, fish and wildlife.
7. To restore degraded forest ecosystems.
The FLP will work with landowners on a voluntary basis to purchase easements on lands or properties in the defined Forest Legacy Area (FLA). Actual easement details will vary in order to address landowner and FLP goals.
Easements can:
1. Alleviate economic pressure to convert forestland to non-traditional uses.
2. Assure access to adjoining public properties and enhance recreational opportunities.
3. Ensure management of forested riparian areas to enhance water quality.
4. Alleviate parcelization of forestlands.
5. Ensure sustainable forestry practices through implementation of a Forest Stewardship Plan.
The Adams County FLP is seeking applications for consideration for possible funding in Federal Fiscal Year 2012. The deadline for new applications is July 30, 2010. If selected by USDA, the eligible forestland owners may sell conservation easements on their land through the FLP. The easements are permanent legal agreements that limit residential and commercial development of properties. However, the landowners retain ownership of the properties; they can continue sustainable forestry practices; and, they have the right to sell or convey the land.
To obtain further information regarding this program, please contact:
Land Conservancy of Adams County
Adams County Environmental Services
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