[ODF_Private_Forests] New AFF report evaluates the 2008 Farm Bill

[WEEKS Kevin]

Members of the Private Forests News service:
The American Forest Foundation recently released a report evaluating the success of the US Department of Agriculture forest conservation programs called "Forest Conservation in 2009: A Farm Bill Progress Report." The report specifically spotlights programs authorized and funded through the 2008 Farm Bill, which represented the first USDA Farm Bill which fully integrated forestry into USDA's conservation programs.
Key findings:

*         The U.S. has made a significant investment in the health of its forests by partnering with private landowners.

*         The United States has 751 million acres of forest, of which 56 percent are privately owned. Of these private owners, 62 percent are "family forest owners."

*         On average, one million acres of private forests are converted to development every year.

*         More than 25 percent of our fresh water flows from and is filtered by private forest land.

*         Oregon ranked 14th in funding provided through USDA's Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) in 2009.

*         Oregon has the fourth-highest amount of private land within a state enrolled in the USDA Conservation Stewardship Program.
The full report can be downloaded from the American Forest Foundation at:
https://ssl.capwiz.com/forestfoundation/attachments/AFF_FarmBill_Report_2010_Final_Proof.pdf

Kevin Weeks

Oregon Department of Forestry

(503) 945-7427

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