The terms used in this subpart are defined as follows:
Borrowed funds. Funds used for the purpose of cost share which would encumber the subject property, in whole or in part, to another party.
Community benefits. One or more of the following:
(1) Economic benefits such as timber and non-timber products resulting from sustainable forest management and tourism;
(2) Environmental benefits, including clean air and water, stormwater management, wildlife habitat, and cultural resources;
(3) Benefits from forest-based experiential learning, including K-12 conservation education programs; vocational education programs in disciplines such as forestry and environmental biology; and environmental education through individual study or voluntary participation in programs offered by organizations such as 4-H, Boy or Girl Scouts, Master Gardeners, etc.;
(4) Benefits from serving as replicable models of effective forest stewardship for private landowners; and
(5) Recreational benefits such as hiking, hunting, and fishing secured with public access.
Community forest. Forest land owned in fee-simple by an eligible entity that provides public access and is managed to provide community benefits pursuant to a Community Forest Plan.
Community Forest Plan. A tract-specific plan developed with community involvement that guides the management and use of a community forest and includes the following components:
(1) A description of all purchased tracts and cost share tracts, including acreage and county location, land use, forest type, and vegetation cover;
(2) Objectives for the community forest and strategies to implement those objectives;
(3) A description of the long-term use and management of the property;
(4) Community benefits to be achieved from the establishment of the community forest;
(5) A description of ongoing activities that promote community involvement in the development and implementation of the Community Forest Plan;
(6) Plans for the utilization or demolition of existing structures and proposed needs for further improvements;
(7) A description of public access and the rationale for any limitations on public access, such as protection of cultural (including tangible and intangible resources) or natural resources or public health and safety concerns; and
(8) Maps of sufficient scale to show the location of the property in relation to roads, communities, and other improvements as well as nearby parks, refuges, or other protected lands and any additional maps required to display planned management activities.
Eligible entity. An organization that is qualified to acquire and manage land, limited to the following:
(1) Local governmental entity. Any municipal government, county government, or other local government body with jurisdiction over local land use decisions as defined by Federal or State law.
(2) Indian Tribe. Defined by Section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b); includes federally recognized Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Corporations.
(3) Qualified nonprofit organization. As defined by the Community Forest Program authorizing statute (16 U.S.C. 2103d(a)(4)), any organization that is described in Section 170(h)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 170(h)(3)) and operates in accordance with one or more of the conservation purposes specified in Section 170(h)(4)(A) of that Code (26 U.S.C. 170(h)(4)(A)). Conservation purposes include:
(i) The preservation of land areas for outdoor recreation by, or for the education of, the general public;
(ii) The protection of a relatively natural habitat for fish, wildlife, or plants, or similar ecosystem;
(iii) The preservation of open space (including farmland and forest land) for the scenic enjoyment of the general public or pursuant to a clearly delineated Federal, State, or local governmental conservation policy, where such preservation will yield a significant public benefit; or
(iv) The preservation of a historically important land area or a certified historic structure.
Eligible lands. Private forest lands that:
(1) Are threatened by conversion to nonforest uses;
(2) Are not lands held in trust by the United States, including Indian reservations and allotment land; and
(3) Can provide defined community benefits under the Community Forest Program and allow public access if acquired by an eligible entity.
Equivalent officials of Indian Tribes. Individual(s) designated and authorized by the governing body of the Indian Tribe to manage the forest proposed for acquisition.
Federal appraisal standards. The current Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions developed by the Interagency Land Acquisition Conference (also known as the yellow book).
Fee-simple. Absolute interest in real property, versus a partial interest such as a conservation easement.
Forest lands. Lands that are at least five acres in size, suitable to sustain natural vegetation, and at least 75 percent forested. Forests are determined both by the presence of trees and the absence of incompatible nonforest uses.
Grant recipient. An eligible entity that receives a grant from the Forest Service through the Community Forest Program.
Landscape conservation initiative. A conservation or management plan or activity that identifies conservation needs and goals of a locality, state, or region. Examples of initiatives include community green infrastructure plans, a community or county land use plan, Indian Tribes' area of interest/homelands plans, a Statewide Forest Action Plan, etc. The conservation goals identified in the plan must correspond with the community and environmental benefits outlined for the Community Forest Program project.
Nonforest uses. Uses other than forest management that may be compatible or incompatible with maintaining community forest purposes.
(1) Nonforest uses that may be compatible with a community forest may include:
(i) Cultivated farmland, pasture, grassland, shrubland, open water, and wetlands; and
(ii) Low-impact structures or facilities that supports the purposes of the community forest and the Community Forest Program, such as recreational facilities, trails, concession and educational kiosks, energy development for onsite use, facilities associated with appropriate forest management, and parking areas.
(2) Incompatible nonforest uses are activities that threaten forest cover and are inconsistent with the Community Forest Plan. These uses may include, but are not limited to:
(i) Subdivision;
(ii) Residential development, except for a caretaker building;
(iii) Mining and nonrenewable resource extraction, except for activities that would not require surface disturbance of the community forest such as directional drilling for oil and gas development or onsite use of gravel from existing gravel pits;
(iv) Industrial use, including the manufacturing of products;
(v) Commercial use, except for sustainable timber or other renewable resources, and limited compatible commercial activities to support cultural, recreational and educational use of the community forest by the public; and
(vi) Structures, facilities, or organized, continuous, or recurring activities that disturb or compact the surface and/or impact forest and water resources in a manner that threatens the benefits and objectives of the community forest.
Public access. Access that is provided on a non-discriminatory basis at reasonable times and places, but may be limited to protect cultural (including tangible and intangible resources) and natural resources or public health and safety.
State Forester. The State employee who is responsible for administration and delivery of forestry assistance within a State, or equivalent official.
