Landowner Eligibility

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Eligibility
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Landowner Eligibility

At the most basic level, a participant is eligible to participate if they meet the following criteria:

  • The applicant is the landowner or another agent (land manager, forester) with the approval of the landowner to apply. Properties held in a Trust and LLCs are also eligible applicants.

  • The property is forestland containing any of the following vegetation types: oak woodland, redwood forests, mixed evergreen, ponderosa pine.

  • The property is at least five (5) acres and less than 5000 acres.

  • The applicant can afford the treatment after incentive payment. For more on program incentive payments and project costs, please see Payment Rates and Covered Activities.

Considerations (not required)

A Good Fit

An applicant is a good fit for the program if they meet these criteria:

  • They are dedicated to managing their forestland sustainably.

  • They have created a forest management plan or a similar guide with a forester, identifying management units and planned treatments.

  • They have completed an environmental review to meet California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements.

  • Their property is in a Disadvantaged Community (DAC) or Severely Disadvantaged Community (SDAC).

  • They cannot implement treatments without financial help from the incentives program.

    • Projects under North Bay Forest Improvement Program are only eligible if they include one or more of the following:

      • Forest Management Plan prepared by a Registered Professional Forester

      • Nonindustrial Timber Management Plan (NTMP) prepared by a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) 

    • The project area must be at least five acres in size to 5,000 acres.

    • Eligible prescriptions are:

      • Reforestation activities , such as;

        • Site preparation

        • Tree purchase and planting

        •  Tree shelters

    •  Forest stand improvement activities, such as;

      • Shaded fuel breaks 

      • Oak woodland restoration

      • Thinning “release” treatments

      • Pruning

    • Follow-up fuel hazard reduction activities, such as; 

      • Mastication/Chipping 

      • Pile-burning

    • The contract with Conservation Works must be held by the landowner. Applications for Forest Management Plan cost-share incentive funding will not be scored and ranked. The number of successful applicants each funding cycle will be dependent on program capacity. 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.

    • Note: A Registered Professional Forester (RPF), 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 the writing of an FMP without an Registered Professional Forester pre-designated who has agreed to write their plan if funded.

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