About the Forest Legacy Program

"The Forest Legacy Program (FLP), a federal program in partnership with states, supports state efforts to protect environmentally sensitive forest lands. Designed to encourage the protection of privately owned forest lands, FLP is an entirely voluntary program. To maximize the public benefits it achieves, the program focuses on the acquisition of partial interests in privately owned forest lands ... It encourages and supports acquisition of conservation easements, legally binding agreements transferring a negotiated set of property rights from one part to another, without removing the property from private ownership. Most FLP conservation easements restrict development, require sustainable forestry practices and protect other values."

From the Forest Service's "Forest Legacy" Website

Introduction

The Forest Legacy Program was originally proposed in Idaho in 1993. At that time, the federal government was the holder of all FLP Conservation Easements and Idaho did not choose to participate in the program.

In 2002, the program was again proposed in Idaho and the Assessment of Need was written. The program was accepted in Idaho with the State of Idaho as the holder of the Conservation Easements.

Refer to the Assessment of Need report, as updated in April 2007. The report is provided as a PDF document (3.26 MB - 97 pages) for viewing and/or printing. The report is also broken down into smaller components for ease of printing and viewing (see below).

• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Idaho's Forest and Woodland Resources
• Private Ownership of Idaho's Forests and Woodlands
• Demographic & Economic Trends and Implications for Land Uses
• Existing Conservation Efforts in Idaho`
• Idaho's Forest Legacy Program
• Idaho's Forest Legacy Areas
• Public Review of Draft and Subsequent Changes