New Jersey Forestry Stewardship Workshop

The Benefits of Participation in the New Jersey Forestry Stewardship Program

The South Jersey Land and Water Trust, in cooperation with Heartwood Ecological Consulting, is presenting a virtual workshop that will provide landowners with a tutorial on the benefits of participation in the New Jersey Forestry Stewardship Program (FSP).

The workshop will take place at 7pm on April 8, 2021.  The workshop is free for interested participants; however, pre-registration will be required.

Among the many benefits of participation in the FSP are the availability of both technical and financial management assistance; environmentally responsible management of New Jersey's forest resources; active involvement in forest management; public recognition as a steward of the land; and the personal satisfaction of managing forest resources for present and future generations.

Some of the common questions that will be addressed in this workshop include:

• How much land do I need to enroll in the new Forest Stewardship Program?
• If I participate in the program do I have to generate income to qualify for Farmland Assessment preferential tax benefits for my woodland properties?
• If I join the Program but want to generate income from the sale of forest products excluding Christmas Trees, can I?
• Do I have to be consistent in generating any income year after year?
• Must I monitor the progress made toward plan objectives, and how extensive does the monitoring need to be?

The workshop is being organized and hosted by the South Jersey Land and Water Trust, a non-profit conservation organization that works to protect and preserve the land and water resources of southern New Jersey.  The Trust aims to maintain and enhance the natural, cultural, and historic heritage of the region by preserving open space and farmland, hosting educational workshops, installing stream buffers and rain gardens, and other efforts to promote sound environmental stewardship.

The workshop will feature Erica Muller, of Heartwood Ecological Consulting, as the main presenter.  Heartwood Ecological Consulting is a professional forestry and natural resources consulting firm dedicated to the conservation and management of forests, woodlands, and habitats in both wild and human-dominated landscapes. In New Jersey, and in surrounding states, Heartwood Ecological Consulting serves as NJDEP approved consulting foresters facilitating good stewardship and advising its clients with woodland management plans, forest stewardship plans and on-site consultation.

For registration information please contact: jhansen@sjlandwater.org