Forest legacy program

[celliott]

Any very knowledgeable folks here on the Forest legacy program?

We may have a potential maple sugaring lease on a property that is enrolled in Forest Legacy. The landowner wants to keep that certification.

My question(s) are- what are potential concerns with forest legacy guidelines\regulations VS a maple sugaring operation?

We will be using plastic pipes, and will be working very close to streams, brooks, ponds, etc.
There will be buildings built on site (A minimal pump station, a sugarhouse with septic, reverse osmosis which would discharge a significant amount of permeate water) And primarily using ATV's for access within the forest. We may be cutting some trails for ease of access for installing big pipes and burying pump lines with an excavator.
I don't know alot about the forest legacy program. I'm looking into it now, but would like to know if there is anything real obvious that would be of concern with maple sap production and the Forest legacy program.

Thanks!
Chris

[clearcut]

It's been a while, but if I remember correctly Forest Legacy encourages working forests. So maple sugaring can be an acceptable use. However, on private lands Forest Legacy works under a conservation easement. The terms of the easement would dictate permissible uses. Buildings and other permanent construction should be addressed in the easement. Get a copy from the landowner or assessor. Read it carefully, address questionable uses with the easement holder.

[celliott]

Thanks clearcut,
We are working closely with the forester who manages the property. He knows there are going to be buildings there, and I suppose it's written into the easement, they've been planning on a maple lease for a few years now I believe. I know forest legacy encourages timber harvest and non timber forest products (like sugaring) but do the people who wrote that really understand what it entails?
An RO discharging a 4" pipe full of permeate (purified water removed from sap) might raise questions...

[John Mc]

As Clearcut mentioned, you really need to read the easement document to see what's up. It would also be a good idea to talk to the easement holder and discuss what your plans are before you sign the lease.  For a lot of conservation easements in VT, the Vermont Land Trust is the easement holder, they can be easy to work, especially if they are convinced you are committed to treating the forest/land right. However, since FLeP is a federal program, there is probably a different easement holder.