6.3 Conservation Opportunities and Incentives
NCFS ofers forest and tree conservation technical assistance and incentives for landown- ers. A forest management plan approved by a representative of NCFS is required. Tere are diferent qualifcation standards for diferent forest types. • Te NC Forestry and Agriculture Present-Use Value Program can reduce property taxes for qualifying farm and forest landowners.
• See the NCFS web page, Managing Your Forest, for detailed program information.
• Te Forest Stewardship Program provides technical assistance to enhance wildlife hab- itat management on private forest lands. • Te Forest Development Program is a reforestation, aforestation, and forest stand improvement cost-sharing program run by NCFS. Te goals of the program focus on timber production and the creation of the benefts associated with active forest management.
• NCFS Forester also utilizes all of the forestry programs and incentives outlined in this chapter.
Te USFWS Safe Harbor and Candidate Conservation Agreements are voluntary agree- ments between USFWS and cooperating nonfederal (private and government) landown- ers. Tey are designed to beneft federally endangered and threatened species by giving landowners assurances that at no future time would USFWS impose restrictions on their land as a result of conservation actions on their part. In other words, these agreements essentially relieve landowners of liability under the Endangered Species Act if conservation practices on their land attract and/or perpetuate federally listed species. To date, nearly 3 million acres of land have been enrolled in Safe Harbor Agreements, benefting a variety of listed species. In North Carolina, Safe Harbor Program agreements have been used to beneft the endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker. Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) is an independent collaboration of individuals and organizations that work together to improve forest management and promote responsi- ble fber sourcing. Certifcation of sustainable forest management can provide a tangible incentive to timber companies to improve their natural resource management practices. Timber Investment Management Organizations (TIMOs)—Timber investments occupy a considerable landmass in our state. Conservation ethics should be integrated into the decision-making process of the parent fnancial organizations through working with TIMOs, or other appropriate contracting organizations, to infuence TIMO land manage- ment practices to include considerations for wildlife and habitats.
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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