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Ohio Woodlands Could be Included in Federal Program
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Working woodlands in Trumbull, Columbiana and 29 other counties in Ohio soon may be eligible for special protection under a proposal to enter the U.S. Forest Service's Forest Legacy Program, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The Forest Legacy Program assists states in acquiring permanent conservation easements from willing sellers for woods that meet specific purposes and criteria.The goal of the program is to protect forests from conversion to non-forest uses. "The Forest Legacy designation will assure that these eastern Ohio woodlands will be available for future generations," says John Dorka, chief of the ODNR Division of Forestry, which will administer the Forest Legacy Program in Ohio. "Easements will only be acquired from willing landowners."Working forests are being targeted for the program in order to complement current conservation programs. Focus will be on woodlands where timber production is a primary land-management objective, Dorka says.Counties currently set for inclusion are Lake, Ashtabula, Geauga, Trumbull, Portage, Summit, Columbiana, Carroll, Tuscarawas, Coshocton, Harrison, Jefferson, Belmont, Guernsey, Muskingum, Perry, Morgan, Noble, Monroe, Washington, Athens, Hocking, Vinton, Meigs, Ross, Pike, Jackson, Gallia, Lawrence, Scioto and Adams.The ODNR Division of Forestry held a series of public meetings earlier this year, seeking citizen input into Ohio's need for a Forest Legacy Program. The Ohio Forest Stewardship Committee then provided recommendations, based on meeting comments. Individuals interested in reviewing the draft application for Ohio and submitting written comments may visit www.ohioforestlegacy.com for more information. "