A.        Introduction:  On August 1, 2001 a Southern Pine Beetle Initiative (SPBI) was created to encourage implementation of southern pine beetle (SPB) hazard and risk reduction strategies on privately owned forestland in Tennessee.  Funds for SBPI are allocated to the Division of Forestry from the USDA Forest Service for a two year period ending September 30, 2003.

  B.                 Background:  Tennessee has experienced a severe outbreak of southern pine beetle over the last three years.  This outbreak began in 1998 in east Tennessee.  Beetles have now invaded most of east Tennessee and portions of southwest Tennessee.  An estimated 100,000 acres have been impacted with the majority of impact occurring on non-industrial private forestland (NIPF).  This SPB epidemic has drastically changed the distribution of pine forest types on Tennessee’s landscape.

  C.                 Objectives:

1.                  Hazard reduction: Reduce vulnerability and susceptibility     of   newly planted pine stands to SPB attack through implementation of stand-establishment practices known to reduce the hazard of beetle attack.

2.                  Risk reduction: Reduce vulnerability and susceptibility of established pine stands to SPB attack through application of intermediate treatments known to reduce the risk of beetle attack.

D.        Landowner and Land Eligibility:

1.         Eligible owners include private individuals; joint owners; corporations (except wood-using industries) without publicly-traded stock; and non-profit organizations and groups such as Boy and Girl Scouts, churches, and youth organizations.  Ineligible owners include lands controlled by federal, State, and local governments; wood-using industries or entities that derive more than 50 percent of their gross income from wood-using industries; corporations with publicly-traded stock; public utility companies; and commercial campgrounds, hunting reserves, and recreation areas.

2.         SPBI applies to eligible landowners in every county of the State.

3.                  Eligible lands include pine stands harvested and/or killed by SPB after January 1, 1998.  Eligible stands also include existing pine stands meeting SPBI-2 component criteria (page 4).  Pine stands are stands in which pine species currently constitute, or prior to SPB attack constituted, over 50% of the stand’s basal area.

4.                  A minimum 5 acre stand size is required for participation.  Minimum stand size must be 5 contiguous acres comprised of a single ownership.

 

E.         Eligible Practice and Practice Components:

1.         SPBI-1 – Hazard reduction: Re-establishing stands harvested and/or killed by SPB after January 1, 1998:                      a.         Tree Planting (pine species only):

(1)               Eligible species include loblolly pine, shortleaf pine, and white pine.  The use of shortleaf pine and white pine is strongly encouraged on the Cumberland Plateau and the Blue Ridge Mountains to minimize damage by heavy snow and ice storms.

(2)               Live pine stands harvested and site prepared after July 1^st are susceptible to pales weevil.  Such stands should remain fallow for one planting season.

(3)        Acceptable initial seedling stocking rates include a maximum of approximately 600 seedlings per acre and a minimum of approximately 300 seedlings per acre.  This stocking requirement applies to all species.

(4)        Seedlings must be planted in accordance with instructions concerning care, planting, spacing, species, and other considerations furnished by the forester.  Landowners not willing to follow forester prescriptions are not eligible for cost-share assistance.

(5)        Maximum Cost-Share:

(a).       loblolly pine:  50 percent of actual costs not to exceed $38.40 per acre.

(b)               shortleaf pine:  50 percent of actual costs not to exceed $42.83 per acre.

(c)        white pine:  50 percent of actual costs not to exceed $54.50 per acre.

b.                  Site Preparation for artificial regeneration (pine species only): 

(1)        Site preparation measures are required as a component of the tree planting practice.

(2)        Disking, chopping, shearing, clearing, or deadening, or a combination of methods may be employed.  Deadening may be carried out either by use of herbicides, cutting, or girdling, or a combination of chemical and mechanical methods.

(3)               Use of prescribed fire is authorized only in combination with other site preparation methods.

(4)        Maximum Cost-Share (chemical site preparation): 50 percent of actual costs not to exceed $55.00 per acre.

(5)        Maximum Cost-Share (mechanical site preparation):  50 percent of actual costs not to exceed $150.00 per acre.

c.         Site Preparation for natural regeneration (hardwoods only):

(1)               Applies to sites where potential for adequate stocking by hardwood natural regeneration exists.  These sites must have a site index of 65 or greater for mixed oaks.

(2)        Cost-sharing is not authorized to fell dead pine trees or conduct commercial harvests.

(3)               Lopping with chainsaws and/or deadening with herbicides may be employed to release desirable advanced reproduction and root/stump sprouts.

(4)        Maximum Cost-Share:  50 percent of actual cost not to exceed $55.00 per acre.

2.         SPBI-2 – Risk Reduction: Improving an Existing Stand of Forest Trees

a.                  Non-commercial thinning (pine species only):

(1)        Stands must be between 6 to 10 years old and have 90 sq. ft. or more pine basal area per acre.

(2)        Treatment must be directed at creating stands with a residual pine basal area of 80-sq. ft. or less per acre.

(3)        Maximum Cost-Share:  50 percent of actual cost not to exceed $55.00 per acre.

b.         Release of desirable seedlings (pine species only):

(1)        Stands must be between 1 and 5 years old.  Between 600 and 300 reasonably well-distributed pine seedlings (at least 2 feet tall) per acre must be present.

(2)        Treatment must release desirable seedlings to the extent that they are free-to-grow from overtopping trees and woody brush.

(3)               Overtopping trees and woody brush that suppress desirable seedlings may be eliminated by chemical, mechanical, or a combination of chemical and mechanical means.

(4)        Maximum Cost-Share:  50 percent of actual cost not to exceed $55.00 per acre.

c.                   Replanting understocked one year old pine stands:

(1)               Eligible stands include pine stands with less than 60 percent seedling survival per acre at the end of the first growing season.  Survival rate is calculated from initial seedling stocking rates.  Initial seedling stocking rates must be between a maximum of approximately 600 seedlings per acre and a minimum of approximately 300 seedlings per acre.

(2)               Eligible species include loblolly pine, shortleaf pine, and white pine.  The use of shortleaf pine and white pine is strongly encouraged on the Cumberland Plateau and the Blue Ridge Mountains to minimize damage by heavy snow and ice storms.

(3)               Stands must be replanted to secure a maximum of 600 seedlings per acre and a minimum of 300 seedlings per acre.

(4)               Maximum Cost Share:  Same rates as tree planting component under SPBI-1.

3.         State cost-sharing is not authorized for planting orchards or horticultural crops; planting trees and shrubs for ornamental and nursery purposes; planting trees for Christmas tree production; or removing dead pine trees adjacent to structures.

F.         Funding:

1.                  Priority:  Requests for SPBI cost-sharing will be approved for funding in order of the date of application on the SPBI Authorization to Vendor and Project Record form.  If funds become limited, priority will be given to:

           

Priority No.		Component		Practice
1		Site preparation and tree planting		SPBI-1
2		Replanting stands lost through no fault of the landowner		SPBI-2
3		Non-commercial thinning or release of desirable seedlings		SPBI-2

  2.         Cost-Share Level:  Landowners will be reimbursed for reforestation and stand improvement expenditures at the level of 50 percent of actual cost (based on cost documents) not to exceed a maximum amount which represents 50 percent of the average statewide cost of installing practice components.

  3.         Funding Limitation:  The maximum SPBI payment is $20,000 per landowner per federal fiscal year (October 1 - September 30).  

4.         Partial Payments:  Separate component payments will not be made. Cost-share payments will be made only after satisfactory completion of all prescribed components

 

5.         Non-State Program Funds and Donations:  State funds may not be used on the same acres on which other cost-share funds are being used for  forestry practices during the same fiscal year.  Donations of seedlings or    other materials and labor may be used in completing the practice, but       participants will be reimbursed no more than 50 percent of actual costs    for component/practice installation.

  G.        Participant Obligations:  Participants must:

  1.                  Sign and date a SPBI Authorization to Vendor and Project Record form (Form 1), along with the substitute Form W-9 (Form 2).  Participants must read and agree to the stipulations contained on the second page of the SPBI Authorization to Vendor and Project Record form (Form 1).  The substitute Form W-9 (Form 2) will be held on file in the Nashville Division of Forestry office to comply with IRS 1099 reporting regulations.

2.         Obtain a Tree Planting Plan prepared by a forester of the Division of Forestry and perform the components of the plan as recommended.

3.         Use only federally, state, and locally registered chemicals and apply them strictly in accordance with authorized registered uses, directions on the label, and other federal or state policies and requirements.

 4.         Complete all components essential to the establishment of the planting prescribed by the forester.

5.         Furnish copies of all receipts or contractor cost statements to the forester when the practice is completed.

6.         Protect trees planted under SPBI from destructive fire and destructive grazing.

7.         Maintain trees planted under SPBI for a minimum of 10 years following the planting completion date.

8.         Actively manage stands to maintain pine basal area at 80 square feet per acre or less.

9                    Report completion of all components and submit cost documents for reimbursement of cost-shares not later than September 30 to assure payment of cost-shares.  

H.        State Responsibilities:  The Division of Forestry is assigned responsibility for      publicizing SPBI, processing applications for cost-sharing, determining the extent   of tree planting and cost-shares needed, developing a tree planting plan, providing technical information and assistance to participants, certifying satisfactory completion of planting operations, and reimbursing participants for   the State’s share of reforestation costs.  

I.          Administration of SPBI: 

 1.         Participants may apply for cost-sharing under SPBI at any time during the year.  A forester will provide a copy of the SPBI Authorization to Vendor and Project Record form (Form 1) and the substitute Form W-9 (Form 2) to participants to sign and date.  Participants must read and agree to the stipulations contained on the second page of the SPBI Authorization to Vendor and Project Record form (Form 1).   The forester will orally inform the participant that all practice components essential to the establishment of the planting which may be prescribed by the forester must be completed to qualify for cost-sharing.  The forester will also provide the participant a copy of the SPBI brochure.

2.         A Division forester will determine the eligibility of the landowner and the land and examine the participant’s property to determine the components needed and the acreage of same.  The forester will enter the acres needed (to the closest 1/10-acre) and the prevailing cost-share rate for each practice component; calculate and enter the cost shares needed for each component; calculate and enter the sum of the total cost shares needed; and sign and enter the date in the spaces provided on the SPBI Authorization to Vendor and Project Record form (Form 1). 

3.         The forester will complete and sign a SPBI Tree Planting Plan (Form 3) and develop a map of the participant’s property, indicating clearly by labeling the SPBI treatment area.  Multiple plantable stands on the same ownership may be included in the same SPBI plan.  When more than one stand is scheduled for planting, identify the acreage of each stand in the “Description of Planting Site” on the SPBI plan.  However, when different components are needed on different stands, the forester should either develop separate prescription plans or attach a separate sheet to the plan, indicating clearly which components apply to which stands.

4.         The forester will attach a copy of the SPBI Authorization to Vendor and Project Record form (Form 1) to a copy of the participant’s Tree Planting Plan and map (Form 3), and mail it, together with the landowner’s completed substitute Form W-9 (Form 2), to the Division of Forestry’s Nashville office, ATTN:  Management Chief.

5.         To allow landowners the lead time to pre-plan planting jobs, the forester does not have to wait on written notification before mailing or delivering the participant the original copy of the Tree Planting Plan.  The Tree Planting Plan should include a map of the property, and appropriate attachments such as a seedling application, vendor list, forestry technical bulletins such as Care and Planting of Forest Tree Seedlings, information about federal reforestation tax incentive provisions, etc. The participant may begin installation of the practice only after receiving written notification that funding is available.

6.         The Management Chief will determine if sufficient SPBI funds are available to fund the request.  The Management Chief will mail the participant a letter indicating whether sufficient funds are available and, if so, the amount allocated.  When sufficient funds are unavailable, the participant will be advised that his/her request will be kept on file until funds become available.  Cases waiting for funding will receive allocations based on the priorities established under Paragraph F  – Funding.  The Division forester will also be sent a copy of the letter of notification addressed to the participant.

7.        If it is determined later that the actual acreage in need of planting exceeds the acreage for which cost-share funding was originally approved by more than 5 acres, the forester will submit an amended plan and a photocopy of the SPBI Authorization to Vendor and Project Record form (Form 1) which reflects the actual acreage and the amount of cost-shares needed for the total number of acres to be planted or treated.  In such cases, the participant and forester will be notified in writing concerning the availability of additional cost-share funds.

8.         The participant must carry out recommended components as prescribed in the Tree Planting Plan.  Separate component payments are not available.

 9.         The participant will be responsible for notifying the forester that the  practice has been completed.

10.       The forester will revisit the participant’s property, examine the planted area, make an accurate determination of the amount of acreage (closest 1/10-acre) actually treated for each component, obtain cost documents from the participant, and complete and certify satisfactory completion of each component performed.  If the participant performed labor for any of the components completed, he/she shall sign a statement certifying same (Form 4).

11.       The forester will attach the participant’s cost and labor documents to the original copy of the SPBI Authorization to Vendor and Project Record form (Form 1) and mail them to the Division of Forestry’s Nashville office, ATTN:  Management Chief.

12.       The Forest Management Chief will address a letter to the Department of Agriculture’s fiscal office and request that a State warrant payable to the participant be drawn and mailed to the participant as reimbursement for the State’s share of the cost of installing the practice.

J.          Extensions:  If a participant who failed to complete an approved project during the past planting season intends to install the practice during the following planting season, it will be necessary that he/she notify the Division Forester before the service agreement expires and request an extension.  The Division Forester will review extension requests for applicability and grant new completion dates not to exceed one year past the end of a fiscal year.  The Division forester will also review and, if necessary, amend the Tree Planting Plan.

K.        Vendor Services:  It is the policy of the Division of Forestry to encourage the use of private vendors for tree planting and the installation of other forestry practices and practice components.  In some instances, however, vendors may be unavailable or unwilling to perform the work due to the small size or isolated location of jobs.  In such cases, Division of Forestry personnel may be available to perform such work, but only at the convenience of the Division.  When Division personnel are available for such work, the Division will charge participants established rates.  Invoices for Division vendor service work must be paid before participants may receive reimbursement for completion of SPBI practice components.  

L.         Participant Labor:  When participants themselves choose to perform tree planting, site preparation, or other stand treatments instead of contracting same to a private vendor or the Division of Forestry, they will be reimbursed at the prevailing average statewide rate for that portion of components that represents         labor costs.  In such instances the participant will sign a statement (Form 4) certifying that the participant performed the labor and the number of acres performed (to the closest 1/10-acre).  The forester will attach the statement to other cost documentation when requesting reimbursement of participant cost-shares.

M.        Free Seedlings:  When seedlings are furnished at no cost to the landowner, the cost-share amount attributable to tree seedlings must be deducted from the total amount allowed for the tree planting component.  In such cases, the forester  should enter the maximum per-acre amount allowed for the cost of labor required for planting ($27.50) in the “prevailing rate per acre” column and the total amount needed for the component in the “cost-share needed” column on the SPBI Authorization to Vendor and Project Record form (Form 1).  

N.        Survival Checks:  The Division of Forestry will conduct seedling survival checks in the fall following the first growing season for all SPBI planting cases.  Seedling survival will be documented on the Fall Stocking and Survival Examination form.  

O.                Failure to Maintain Practice:  Any participant who intentionally removes or destroys a SPBI-funded planting within a period of ten (10) years following the project completion date must refund cost-shares to the State.

P.                  Reporting Time Spent in SPBI:  Report time spent in administering SPBI in the space provided for “southern pine beetle” on the Division of Forestry’s Program Time Accountability Report (Form 8).  

Q.                Reporting SPBI Accomplishments on the Division of Forestry Landowner Assistance Program Accomplishment Report (Form AG-0509):

1.                  To report SPBI prescription plans prepared, write “SPBI” on the line following the category, Other Cost-Share Program (Specify) Plans, and enter the number of plans and acres covered by plans in the spaces provided on page 2 of Form AG-0509.

2.                  To report SPBI tree planting accomplishments, write “SPBI” on the line entitled, Other Cost-Share Program (specify) under the Tree Planting Accomplishments section on page 3 of the report form, and enter the number of acres planted.

R.         When landowners fail to carry out the SPBI practice, the forester will write the word CANCELED across a copy of the SPBI Authorization to Vendor and Project Record form (Form 1), and mail it to the Nashville office, ATTN:  Management Chief, as soon as possible.