DE Forest Legacy Program (FLP) Grant

DE Forest Legacy Program (FLP) Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Delaware Forest Service
Last Updated: October 16, 2025

Summary

The DE Forest Legacy Program (FLP), funded by the U.S. Forest Service, aims to safeguard working forestlands from development through conservation easements or outright purchases. This initiative supports landowners in maintaining forest stewardship plans, ensuring sustainable forest management. With federal funding covering up to 75% of project costs, the program promotes collaboration among state, local, and private entities. Delaware's AON, approved in 1998, identifies key forest areas for protection, enhancing habitat, timber resources, and water quality.

Overview

The Forest Legacy Program (FLP) is funded through the U.S. Forest Service's State and Private Forestry (S&PF) budget. It provides funds to states to protect working forestlands that are threatened by development or other land uses, either through outright (fee simple) purchase or conservation easements. A conservation easement allows the landowner to continue to own the forest; however, the easement prohibits non-forest uses such as development. Landowners who chose to sell an easement must also have a forest stewardship plan for their property that describes the activities needed to help achieve their objectives for the property; the Delaware Forest Service can write this plan with the landowner. FLP intends to ensure forestlands continue to yield the forest products we use every day, such as timber, wildlife habitat, and water quality protection. Landowner participation in FLP is entirely voluntary. The federal government may fund up to 75% of project costs, with at least 25% coming from private, State or local sources. In addition to gains associated with the sale or donation of property rights, many landowners also benefit from reduced taxes associated with limits placed on land use. States may only use Forest Legacy funds in areas designated in their Assessment of Need (AON) – the AON describes the state's forests, the threats to the forests, and those areas within the state that contain the most important forests, which are called the Forest Legacy Areas. Once the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) approves the AON, the state is eligible to receive Legacy funds to purchase land and easements within the designated Forest Legacy areas. Delaware’s AON was approved in December 1998, and there are four Legacy areas in Delaware – White Clay Creek, Blackbird/Blackiston, Redden/Ellendale, and Cypress Swamp (see maps here). These areas contain the highest concentrations of forests in Delaware, including significant acreage already protected through public and private ownership.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website.