The forest stewardship program
The Forest Stewardship Program is a nationwide partnership between the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service, state forestry agencies like the Washington DNR, and other cooperating agencies and organizations. The program provides multi-resource forest management advice and assistance to non-industrial private landowners based on each landowners individual ownership objectives. DNR’s Forest Stewardship Program is funded jointly by the USDA Forest Service and Washington State General Fund dollars. Some of these funds are passed through to Washington State University Cooperative Extension to support educational programs for landowners.
USDA Forest Service/State Forestry Agency partnerships that assist non-industrial private landowners date back almost half a century. Prior to 1990, the program was known as “Farm Forestry” or “Service Forestry” and was primarily aimed at growing more wood fiber on non-industrial private forestlands. With the advent of the Forest Stewardship Program in 1990, the focus has broadened to not only include timber, but also address all other forest resources in an integrated manner.
In Washington, today’s Forest Stewardship Program has five parts Technical Assistance
Individual on-site advice is offered from Stewardship Foresters and the Forest Stewardship Program Wildlife Biologist. Most of the assistance is provided by DNR. And it is added to by staff of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and some local Conservation Districts.
Educational Programs and Materials
Washington State University (WSU) Cooperative Extension has primary responsibility for educational programs for non-industrial private forest owners in Washington. DNR, NRCS, the University of Washington College of Forest Resources, Conservation Districts, Consulting Foresters, local Farm Forestry Association Chapters, and other organizations and individuals also support WSU in this effort.
Cost-Sharing
The USDA Forest Service funded Stewardship Incentive Program helps reimburse landowners for 50 to 75 percent of the cost of a wide variety of forest stewardship practices including those that increase forest health and productivity, improve fish and wildlife habitat and water quality and others. There are 9 categories (see SIP Program materials for details). Another federal cost-share program, the Forestry Incentive Program predates the Stewardship Incentive program and is focused primarily on practices that improve wood fiber production. The program is administered by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. DNR and the service coordinate with each other on cost-share rates and application approvals for the programs, and DNR foresters provide field service for both applicants.
Recognition
Landowners who have, and are actively implementing, a DNR-approved Forest Stewardship Plan are eligible to have their properties recognized as “Stewardship Forests,” which includes property signs bearing this designation.
Backyard Forest Stewardship Program
This educational program provides “do-it-yourself” information to woodland homeowners and owners of very small forested parcels. In 1996, DNR developed the program to address the high demand for the information, which could not be met with traditional site-visit strategy used with larger parcels in the “regular” Forest Stewardship Program. Landowners who complete six or more forest stewardship practices from a program menu of activities receive designation as “Backyard Forest Stewards.”