U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Streamlining Conservation Agreements and Permitting
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Streamlining Conservation Agreements and Permitting

ByMichelle Cain

Update On April 10, FLA submitted comments to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding this proposal. While we are encouraged by the efforts of the Service to streamline permitting and conservation agreements, we urge the Service to consider additional revisions that would further improve the regulations and help landowners better achieve collaborative species conservation…

Senators Cassidy and Warnock Prioritize Forest Landowners Bill
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Senators Cassidy and Warnock Prioritize Forest Landowners Bill

ByMichelle Cain

WASHINGTON, DC –The Forest Landowners Association (FLA) commends the introduction of S. 217: The Disaster Reforestation Act, bipartisan legislation designed to allow private forest landowners to recover from the loss of timber destroyed by natural disasters. The bill, sponsored by Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA), would provide the economic certainty that…

House Tax Bill Introduced to Help Forest Landowners Recover
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House Tax Bill Introduced to Help Forest Landowners Recover

ByMichelle Cain

WASHINGTON, DC –The Forest Landowners Association (FLA) commends the introduction of H.R. 655: The Disaster Reforestation Act, bipartisan legislation designed to allow private forest landowners to recover from the loss of timber destroyed by natural disasters. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) and Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL), would provide economic certainty that is…

FLA Keeps Watchful Eye On WOTUS
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FLA Keeps Watchful Eye On WOTUS

ByMichelle Cain

On December 30, the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S Department of the Armyreleased a notice of their final rule defining Waters of the United States (WOTUS). The final rule relies largely on pre-2015 guidance: starting with the 1986 regulations as a baseline and updated to include limitations by the Supreme Court on federal jurisdiction since…

FLA Fights for Workable Solutions in Northern Long-eared Bat Reclassification
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FLA Fights for Workable Solutions in Northern Long-eared Bat Reclassification

ByMichelle Cain

Update: Effective Date Delayed Until March 31, 2023The effective date of the final rule to reclassify the northern long-eared bat as endangered has been delayed until March 31, 2023. The Service notes that the delay is necessary to finalize conservation tools and guidance documents to avoid confusion and disruption with members of the public and…

FLA Weighs in on Louisiana Pinesnake Critical Habitat Proposal
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FLA Weighs in on Louisiana Pinesnake Critical Habitat Proposal

ByMichelle Cain

In October 2022, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed to designate 209,520 acres of forestland in Louisiana and Texas as critical habitat for the Louisiana Pinesnake. 72,925 acres of this proposed designation are privately owned, including 2,716 acres of unoccupied private land designated for reintroduction efforts on adjacent National Forest land. FLA prepared comments…

Help Keep Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake Off the Endangered Species List
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Help Keep Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake Off the Endangered Species List

ByMichelle Cain

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking data and input on the eastern diamondback rattlesnake to determine whether the species is warranted for listing as threatened or endangered. As part of the Species Status Assessment Committee for the snake, FLA is requesting data from our members. Layering private land data with the existing public…

Collaborative Conservation Leads to Decision to Not List Gopher Tortoise in Eastern Segment
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Collaborative Conservation Leads to Decision to Not List Gopher Tortoise in Eastern Segment

ByMichelle Cain

Collaborative conservation was the cornerstone of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s finding earlier this month that listing the gopher tortoise population as a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act was not warranted throughout its entire range. The populations in the eastern segment, which includes Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and most of…

President Biden Recognizes Benefits of Working Forests During National Forest Products Week
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President Biden Recognizes Benefits of Working Forests During National Forest Products Week

ByMichelle Cain

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Friday, October 14, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. issued a Proclamation on National Forest Products Week, 2022, stating: “During National Forest Products Week, we give thanks for the beauty of our forest and the bounty they provide: from the lumber in our homes and the paper we print to the medicines…

FLA Asks Agencies to Carefully Consider Approach to Conserving and Defining “Old Growth”
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FLA Asks Agencies to Carefully Consider Approach to Conserving and Defining “Old Growth”

ByMichelle Cain

In response to President Biden’s Executive Order 14072: Strengthening the Nation’s Forests, Communities, and Local Economies, the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management on July 15, 2022, released a Request for Information to inform their approach to defining and conserving old growth and mature forests. While landowners can appreciate the cultural significance…