Forest Viability Technical Assistance Program

Assisting Forest Based Businesses, Protecting Forest Land

ARE YOU A FOREST LANDOWNER

WITH A FOREST BASED BUSINESS?

Ten Massachusetts landowners are currently participating in the program, receiving assistance with forest-based businesses that include sawmilling, cordwood processing, maple sugaring, rustic furniture production, growing mushrooms and truffles, and eco-tourism.

The Forest Viability Grant Program was created to improve the ecological integrity and economic viability of the state's 2.4 million acres of private forestland by providing technical assistance and financial support to forest landowners operating forest based businesses.

Applications are currently closed. The next application period will be in 2007.

Selected landowner participants will work with a technical team of consultants comprised of environmental, economic, and marketing consultants with special knowledge of forest based business to develop a focused Forest Viability Plan at no cost to the landowner. The Plan will suggest ways for the forest landowner to increase the economic return from their business through ecologically sustainable methods such as more efficient production of specialty products, niche marketing, direct marketing, value-added initiatives, eco-tourism, and improved management practices.

Participating landowners must grant a 5-year covenant that will require that the entire property from which business is derived remain undeveloped and will not be used for practices incompatible with long-term forest management to ensure the continued flow of ecosystem services and public benefits from these forests.

PLAN IMPLEMENTATION ASSISTANCE:

Landowners with an approved Forest Viability Plan may apply for funding to implement specific portions of the Plan. In return for implementation funding, the implementation contract will convey to the Commonwealth a 20-year covenant on the entire property from which the forest-based business is derived that runs concurrently with the initial 5-year covenant. Implementation awards are not to exceed $20,000 per Plan or $250 per acre, whichever is less.

LANDOWNER ELIGIBILITY:

Eligible landowners include non-industrial, private landowners with at least twenty (20) acres of forest land. Landowners that are not currently engaged in a forest-based business may be eligible if they can demonstrate a proficient knowledge and experience of their proposed forest-based business.

Forest landowners may apply to the Forest Viability Program under any one or a combination of the three business categories as follows:

Traditional Forest Products:

   marketing, processing, and sale of traditional forest

   products such as sawlogs, cordwood, and pulp.

Non-Traditional Forest Products:

   growing, producing, or making non-traditional forest

   products including:medicinal plants (ginseng, witch-hazel,

   and slippery elm bark), food products (maple syrup,

   mushrooms, and nuts), decorative and handicraft products

   (wreaths, greens, landscaping plants, birch bark or other  

   wood/vine products), or rustic furniture.

Recreation and Wildlife:

   achieving economic return based on recreational and

   wildlife activities including: cross-country ski/hiking trails,

   wildlife viewing, and environmental education.

Groups of landowners may jointly apply for a Forest Viability Plan in order to achieve the recommended acreages, but in turn they must all agree to sign a 20-year covenant on their properties if they accept funding for Plan implementation.

Only landowners with an EOEA approved Forest Viability Plan will be eligible for implementation funding.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Robert Rizzo, Forest & Wood Products Institute

Mount Wachusett Community College

444 Green St., Gardner, MA 01440

978-630-9137 RRizzo@mwcc.mass.edu

THE MASSACHUSETTS EXECUTIVE OFFICE

of ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS

FOREST VIABILITY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Business Planning & Implementation Assistance for Forest Landowners

The Next Application Period will be in 2007

Applications must be obtained from the Commonweath of Massachusetts

Comm-PASS website. This site will contain all necessary forms and instructions.

Instructions for accessing the Forest Viability Technical Assistance Program application on Comm-PASS:

1.) On the Comm-PASS home page ( http://www.comm-

     pass.com/) look for the "Conduct Business" box on the

     right-hand side of the page.

2.) In the "Conduct Business" box select "Search for

     Solicitations"

3.) Use the "Search by Keyword" section at the top of the

     page. Once the application is posted you should be able

     to find it with key words such as "forest viability."

4.) The search will yield 1 or more results. Click on the

     sentence on the top of the page that says: "There are "X"

     Solicitation(s) found that match your search criteria"

5.) On the next page you will see the entries. Be sure to select

     the information for the "OPEN" status "Forest Viability 

     Technical Assistance Program " title by clicking on the

     spectacle icon on the far right- hand side.

6.) On the next page click on the tab that says

     "Specifications"

7.) The application, answers to questions, and amendments

     to the original RFR are posted. Click on the spectacle

     icon to view and print any document posted in this

     section.

For more information, contact: 

Robert Rizzo 978-630-9137 RRizzo@mwcc.mass.edu

Return to top