Stewardship Assistance & Carbon Information for Family Forest Owners

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The next application cutoff date is February 17, 2017

Northwest Natural Resource Group is collaborating with The Pinchot Institute for Conservation, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Ecotrust, and other partners on a USDA-funded project to unlock carbon markets for family forest owners.

 

This program can provide landowners with an initial carbon assessment and a carbon inventory. The inventory measures how much carbon your forest is storing. The program is completely voluntary. The information prepared specifically for your land may be useful when planning the future of your forest. Applying for NRCS funds does not obligate landowners to any carbon programs.

 

For forest owners who are interested in learning more about this program and considering carbon markets, here is a summary of: the criteria, resources available from NRCS, and the two steps to get started.

 

Basic eligibility – your forest needs to be:

  1. In one of the following areas:
    • OREGON COUNTIES: Columbia, Multnomah, Clackamas, or Washington
    • WASHINGTON COUNTIES: Cowlitz, Clark, King, Pierce, Thurston, Lewis, Mason, Kitsap, or Grays Harbor
  2. 70 acres or larger
  3. Well-stocked with maturing (+30 year) trees and mature trees

 

There is NRCS funding available this year to help forest owners:

  • Develop forest management plans
  • Assess and measure forests to develop forest carbon inventories
  • Implement pre-commercial thinning projects
  • Other activities that improve forest health and sequester carbon

 

****The cutoff date to apply for 2017 funding from NRCS is February 17, 2017. If you are interested, contact NRCS (contact info below) as soon as possible and ask them about the Carbon EQIP opportunities.****

 

To get started, there are two steps:

  1. Contact the Pinchot Institute at FHHHI@pinchot.org so they can complete an initial carbon assessment of your forest by email or phone or fill out their secure online assessment form and they will follow up with you.
  2. Contact your county’s NRCS District Conservationist (see below) and request to apply for funding for carbon related services.

 

Some background information to consider:

Pinchot Institute for Conservation – Program Information
Natural Resource Conservation Service – Carbon Market Information

 

NRCS District Conservationist contacts:

In Washington:
  • Cowlitz, Clark, Lewis and Grays Harbor Counties: David Rose, District Conservationist, 360-748-0083 x101. David.Rose@wa.usda.gov
  • King, Pierce, Thurston, Mason and Kitsap Counties: Amy Hendershot, District Conservationist, 253-845-9272 x107. Amy.Hendershot@wa.usda.gov
In Oregon:

 

If you have questions for NNRG, please let us know. We share announcements about grant programs, cost-share funding, and other resources as opportunities arise.

 

Photo by Matt Freaman-Gleason | mfgimages.com

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