Forest Management Plan

About Your North Bay Forest Improvement Program Forest Management Plan:

  • If you're a landowner in Mendocino, Sonoma, Lake, or Napa County, the North Bay Forest Improvement Program (NBFIP) offers cost-share funding to help you develop a Forest Management Plan. These plans are written by Registered Professional Foresters and are essential for promoting long-term forest health and wildfire resilience. Alternatively, a staff member from your local Resource Conservation District (RCD), or in Lake County, the Clear Lake Environmental Research Center (CLERC), may also prepare a Forest Management Plan under the supervision of an Registered Professional Forester if you prefer.

    For a complete summary and overview of Forest Management Plans, please view this document.

  • A Forest Management Plan is a technical plan that is specific to your property and provides a roadmap for managing your forested land. It outlines your management goals, existing stand conditions, recommended treatments, maps, and implementation timelines. A Forest Management Plan can also increase your likelihood of receiving funding for future fuels reduction and habitat enhancement projects. Forest Management Plans are not required to be eligible to apply for project funding through this program, however we strongly encourage having one in place prior to applying. 

  • Application Steps Graphic

    1. Engage a Registered Professional Forester from this list first.  They will complete the application for you.

    2. Contact a Registered Professional Forester, Resource Conservation District (RCD), or Clear Lake Environmental Research Center (CLERC)

      1. Landowners must work with a Registered Professional Forester or a qualified staff member from your local Resource Conservation District or Clear Lake Environmental Research Center to prepare the plan. North Bay Forest Improvement Program maintains a list of foresters familiar with the program here. While only Registered Professional Foresters can formally supervise and approve the plan, a qualified staff member from the Resource Conservation District or Clear Lake Environmental Research Center may submit the application on your behalf, as long as the work is completed under an Registered Professional Forester’s supervision.

    3. A qualified professional applies on your behalf; this can be your Registered Professional Forester or a staff person from the Resource Conservation District or Clear Lake Environmental Research Center

      1. Applications to North Bay Forest Improvement Program must be submitted through its online portal. Whom the landowner has selected to write the plan, be it a private Registered Professional Forester or local Resource Conservation District, will submit the application on behalf of the landowner.  Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. There are no deadlines.

    4. Execute Contract and Begin Work

      1. Once the landowner has been selected to participate in North Bay Forest Improvement Program’s Forest Management Plan program, the landowner will go into contract with North Bay Forest Improvement Program’s Lead Agency Conservation Works. Then, the landowner can begin developing their forest management plan with the Registered Professional Forester or qualified staff member. 

    5. Complete Plan 

      1. Approved plans must be completed within 12 months. Most plans are finalized within 4 to 6 months. Your forester or qualified staff member will then submit the plan to the program for review and approval for reimbursement.

    6. Submit Final Materials

      1. After the plan is reviewed and approved, North Bay Forest Improvement Program will issue reimbursement based on the established funding schedule. A final invoice will be collected as proof of payment and total cost. 

    CLICK HERE TO APPLY NOW!

  • The Forest Management Plan contract with Conservation Works must be held by the landowner. The number of successful applicants each funding cycle will be dependent on program capacity.  Forest Management Plans will be awarded on a first come, first serve basis. Registered Professional Foresters shall consider how many Forest Management Plans they can feasibly produce within a 6-month window so program funds can be dispersed as efficiently as possible. Public agencies are not eligible for this funding opportunity. 501(c)3 organizations are eligible.

  • The maximum reimbursement for a plan for a property 40-160 acres is $6,000 plus $3.60/acre. For example, the maximum reimbursement a 40-acre property could receive for a Forest Management Plan is $6,000 + ($3.60 x 40) = $6,144. Please see the charts below for all reimbursement scenarios.

    Keep in mind that the program can only reimburse 80% of the invoice cost. For example, a 40-acre property that receives an invoice for their Forest Management Plan for $7,000 is only eligible to receive 80% of the plan cost. 80% of $7,000 is $5,600. Therefore, the maximum reimbursement for the plan would be $5,600. A Forest Management Plan that costs $10,000 would be eligible for up to $6,144 – the maximum reimbursement for the property size.

    Click here to view Reimbursement Scenarios Charts.

More FAQs

  • Do I need a Registered Professional Forester to help me apply?

    A Registered Professional Forester, or a technical Resource Conservation District staff person, must apply for Forest Management Plans through North Bay Forest Improvement Program on behalf of their client. Landowners are not eligible to receive cost-share incentive payments for writing a Forest Management Plan without a qualified plan writer.


  • Can I apply for a Forest Management Plan through the North Bay Forest Improvement Program?

    Yes. Cost-share funding for both traditional Forest Management Plans (properties of 40 acres or more) and Mini-Forest Management Plans (properties less than 40 acres) are available under North Bay Forest Improvement Program. 


  • How can I find a RPF to help me if I am awarded funds to complete a Forest Management Plan through NBFIP?

    If you wish to apply, see the list of Registered Professional Foresters here.

  • How long do I have to complete the Forest Management Plan if I am selected?

    Contracts between landowners and North Bay Forest Improvement Program will have a duration of 1-year, however Registered Professional Foresters should aim to complete Forest Management Plans within a 6-month window from contract execution to allow clients to apply for subsequent North Bay Forest Improvement Program funding cycles for project implementation.  

  • What will NBFIP Reimburse?

    North Bay Forest Improvement Program is a cost share program. As such, it will reimburse a percentage of the total cost of the Forest Management Plan. That amount will be calculated per the table below. When the Forest Management Plan is complete, North Bay Forest Improvement Program will collect an invoice from the authoring Registered Professional Forester to ensure the Landowner has contributed to the cost share. To ensure programmatic effectiveness and integrity, North Bay Forest Improvement Program will reimburse 80% of the cost of your Forest Management Plan invoice from the Registered Professional Forester that you hired. 

  • Do Forest Management Plans under NBFIP cover archeological surveys and/or records?

    Forest Management Plans funded under North Bay Forest Improvement Program are not required to include archeological surveys or archeological records search requests. These activities are not eligible for reimbursement through North Bay Forest Improvement Program. Registered Professional Foresters shall note that having these activities completed will increase application scores for project implementation funding through North Bay Forest Improvement Program. Registered Professional Foresters should consult with clients to determine if the completion of these activities during the Forest Management Plan writing process is desirable.