Working Forests
The California and federal Forest Legacy Conservation Programs and funding from the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) are powerful tools for conserving private working forestlands. By funding working conservation easements and acquisitions across forests with wildfire risks, these programs reduce wildfire risks and help protect natural landscapes threatened with conversion to other uses, promote sustainable and resilient forest practices, and encourage long-term land stewardship. While CAL FIRE, the USFS, the WCB, and other agencies already partner to fund projects through their respective competitive grant programs, the Working Forests Work group takes a targeted and integrated approach to more efficiently and effectively achieve these programs’ goals.
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CAL FIRE: Forest Legacy Program
CAL FIRE manages the Forest Legacy Program 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.
U.S. Forest Service: Forest Legacy
The Forest Legacy Program (FLP) is a conservation program administered by the U.S. Forest Service in partnership with State agencies to encourage the protection of privately owned forest lands through conservation easements or land purchases.
California Wildlife Conservation Board: Forest Conservation Program
Created to promote the ecological integrity and economic stability of California’s diverse native forests for all their public benefits through forest conservation, preservation, and restoration of productive managed forest lands, forest reserve areas, redwood forests and other forest types, including the conservation of water resources and natural habitat for native fish and wildlife and plants found on these lands.
Work Group: Working Forests
Key Actions Assigned:
1.28 – 1.32