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California Forest Legacy Program

Grantor:

Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

Portal ID:

5662

Status:

Active

Opportunity Type:

• Grant

Last Updated:

March 10, 2021, 10:05 am

Categories:

• Environment & Water

Details

Purpose:

The purpose of the Forest Legacy Program is to protect environmentally important forest land threatened with conversion to non-forest uses. Protection of California’s forests through this program ensures they continue to provide such benefits as sustainable timber production, wildlife habitat, recreation opportunities, watershed protection and open space. Intact forests also contribute significantly to the storage and sequestration of carbon.

Working Forest Conservation Easements: Under this competitive grant program, CAL FIRE purchases or accepts donations of conservation easements or fee title of productive forest lands to encourage their long-term conservation. The primary tool CAL FIRE uses to conserve forest lands in perpetuity is permanent Working Forest Conservation Easements (WFCEs).

WFCEs do more than just restrict development and conversion on a property, WFCEs protect forest values by concentrating on sustainable forest practices that provide economic value from the land and encourage long-term land stewardship.

Description:

Eligibility: This program is entirely voluntary. Eligible properties include those with working forest and rangelands, where the property is managed for the production of forest products and traditional forest uses are maintained. Landowners who wish to participate may sell or transfer particular rights, such as the right to develop the property or to allow public access, while retaining ownership of the property and the right to use it in any way consistent with the terms of the easement and management plan.

Project Selection: Priority is given to lands that can be effectively protected and managed and that have important scenic, recreational, timber, riparian, fish and wildlife, threatened and endangered species, and other cultural and environmental values. CAL FIRE regularly partners with other funding agencies to select high value landscapes for conservation easement projects.

All projects are evaluated on four main characteristics:

Importance – Does the land provide important economic, habitat, watershed, water supply, recreational, scenic, historical/cultural benefits?
Strategic Value – How does the property relate strategically to other properties adjacent or in close proximity to it?
Threat – How is the property threatened by development or conversion to other uses?
Readiness – To what degree has due diligence been completed?

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Applicants:

• Individual
• Nonprofit
• Tribal Government

Matching Funding Requirement:

Matching funding is scored higher. Please see grant guidelines for details.