Forestry Assistance Programs (CRS Report for Congress)
Premium Purchase PDF for $24.95 (26 pages)
add to cart or
subscribe for unlimited access
Pro Premium subscribers have free access to our full library of CRS reports.
Subscribe today, or
request a demo to learn more.
| Release Date |
Revised Jan. 7, 2014 |
| Report Number |
RL31065 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Ross W. Gorte, Specialist in Natural Resources Policy; Megan Stubbs Analyst in Agricultural Conservation and Natural Resources Policy |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
-
Premium Revised March 6, 2012 (30 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Revised Jan. 15, 2009 (29 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Revised Aug. 26, 2008 (27 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Aug. 10, 2004 (26 pages, $24.95)
add
|
Summary:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has numerous programs to support management of state and private forests. These programs are under the jurisdiction of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees and are often examined in the periodic legislation to reauthorize agricultural programs, commonly known as farm bills. Both the House (H.R. 2642) and Senate (S. 954) versions of the 2014 farm bill contain a forestry title with provisions affecting forestry-specific assistance programs. Both versions of the farm bill propose to repeal, reauthorize, and modify some of these programs.
Forestry-specific assistance programs (in contrast to agriculture conservation programs that include forestry activities) are primarily administered by the USDA Forest Service (FS), with permanent authorization of funding as needed. The House version of the 2014 farm bill (H.R. 2642) proposes to eliminate the permanent authorization for many of these programs. Some programs provide technical assistanceâinformation, advice, and aid on specific projects. Other programs provide financial assistance, usually through grants (with or without matching contributions from recipients) or cost-sharing (typically though state agencies, with varying levels of contributions from recipients). Many programs provide both.
Most of the programs provide assistance to state partner agencies. The state agencies can use the assistance on state forestlands or to assist local governments or private landowners. How the states use the funds is largely at the discretion of the states, within the authorization of each program; however, the 2008 farm bill added national priorities for state assistance and state-wide assessments and strategies to focus state efforts on achieving the national priorities. Funds are appropriated for planning and implementing forestry and related land management practicesâsite preparation for reforestation, tree planting, thinning, pruning, fertilizing, prescribed burning, restoring watersheds, improving wildlife habitats, and other activities. Other programs provide support for protecting forestlands from wildfires, insects and diseases, and from clearing forests for non-forest uses (such as growing crops or building houses). Two programs are designed specifically to assist landowners to recover or restore forests following catastrophic events, such as wildfires. In addition, International Forestry is often included as a forestry assistance program, because it provides technical forestry help and because it has often been funded out of FS appropriations for forestry assistance programs. Finally, states are authorized to request consolidated payments, for flexibility in program administration, and several coordinating or advisory groups exist to coordinate programs or for specific purposes under one or more programs.
Overall funding for forestry assistance programs in FY2013 was $354 million. After a high of $429 million in FY2010, funding has decreased for three successive years. Funding for the forest management assistance programsâforest stewardship and urban and community forestryâhas remained relatively constant over the past five years. However, funds for forest protection programsâforest health (for insect and disease identification and control), fire assistance, and forest legacy (for easements to prevent forest clearing)âare at five-year lows.
