Vermont Forest Legacy Program Grant

Vermont Forest Legacy Program Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation
Last Updated: June 19, 2025

Summary

The Vermont Forest Legacy Program aims to protect crucial forestlands from conversion to non-forest uses. Established in 1992, it empowers private landowners to maintain ownership while ensuring the preservation of wildlife habitats, natural areas, and outdoor recreation opportunities. Through voluntary participation, landowners can receive funding for conservation easements or fee-simple acquisitions, with up to 75% of costs covered. This initiative is supported by partnerships with local non-profit organizations, enhancing public awareness and engagement in land protection efforts.

Overview

The federal Forest Legacy (16 U.S.C. Sec. 2103c) program was part of the 1990 Federal Farm Bill. The program acknowledges that most forested lands in the United States are held in private ownership and that those landowners are facing growing financial pressure to convert those lands to uses that would remove them from the forested land base. Much of this pressure arises from the demand for residential and commercial development. The Forest Legacy Program (FLP) is a federal grant program to protect forestlands from conversion to non-forest uses. The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation working in conjunction with the USDA Forest Service is the State Lead Agency for Vermont's Forest Legacy Program. The FLP provides funding to further conservation of important forestland properties. The program is entirely voluntary. Landowners who wish to participate may either sell the property as fee simple title (all rights), or only a portion of the property rights and retain ownership of the land. The use of conservation easements allows the land to remain in private ownership and ensures that important public values such as wildlife habitat, natural areas, forest resources, and outdoor recreation opportunities are protected. Vermont has participated in the program since it began in 1992. A number of Forest Legacy projects have been completed in Vermont with many more in varying stages of completion. One notable achievement of Vermont's program has been the effort to protect the area between the northerly and southerly units of the Green Mountain National Forest. The effort is called the Mt. Holly Wildlife Corridor, which nearly connects the protected land. How Forest Legacy Works In order for states to be eligible for Forest Legacy funds they must develop an Assessment of Need (AON) which identifies recommended Forest Legacy Areas within the state, develops criteria for identifying recommended Forest Legacy Areas, establishes goals for the State's FLP, and outlines the public involvement process. Vermont's AON was approved on February 11, 1994 and it identified the following goals: To protect large contiguous and productive forest blocks To protect habitats for wildlife dependent on large contiguous forest blocks To protect threatened and endangered species habitat To protect State fragile areas and undeveloped shoreline To protect significant wetlands To protect important recreation corridors The Forest Legacy Program provides for up to 75 percent of the costs of a conservation easement or fee-simple acquisition, including the costs of appraisals, surveys, closing costs, title work and insurance, and other associated costs. The remaining 25 percent must be matched by either the landowner or an assisting entity, such as a non-profit organization or non-federal governmental entity. Non-profit partners are active in the Vermont FLP with national, State-wide, and local lands trusts aware of the FLP and serving as project proponents. Project proponents seek landowners who are interested in the FLP, serve as an intermediary during negotiations, provide for public awareness of land protection efforts and may provide cost share in the form of funding acquisition activities.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Any private landowner or authorized agent may submit an initial application if the land proposed for Legacy is within a designated Legacy Area, has important resources or values in line with federal and state criteria, and can continue traditional forest uses.Forest Stewardship Plans are necessary in order for a particular piece of land to be eligible for the Forest Legacy Program. However, if one does not already exist, a plan may be developed as part of the application processThe Forest Legacy Program provides for up to 75 percent of the costs of a conservation easement or fee-simple acquisition, including the costs of appraisals, surveys, closing costs, title work and insurance, and other associated costs. The remaining 25 percent must be matched by either the landowner or an assisting entity, such as a non-profit organization or non-federal governmental entity.