Gifford Pinchot National Forest

	USDA Forest Service Gifford Pinchot National Forest Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
For Immediate Release: January 21, 2005
Contact: Tom Knappenberger (360) 891-5005

Public Invited to Submit Applications for Over $1 million in Forest Project Money

VANCOUVER, WA -- The public is invited to submit applications for funds designed to improve Gifford Pinchot National Forest lands and the rural economies of local counties. Applications for Title II money under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination (County Payments) Act must be received by Friday, April 1, 2005.

Title II money funds work such as restoring watersheds, decommissioning roads, removing noxious weeds, thinning trees, and road and trail maintenance examples. The funds are made available by counties, which receive federal funds based on the percentage of land in federal ownership. Last year, more than $1.8 million was allocated to 29 proposals. The projects must be recommended by one of two Forest Resource Advisory Committees and approved by the Forest Supervisor.

Individuals, non-profit organizations, and local governments are all candidates to receive funding for Title II projects. The funds for these projects will available in the fall of 2005. The County Payments program is set to expire in September 2006, although Congress may extend or make the program permanent.

Grant application forms are available at the Forest's web site or from Gifford Pinchot Forest Headquarters, 10600 NE 51st Circle, Vancouver, Wash. Applicants will find the required project submission forms in downloadable MS Word and RTF formats. Instructions for filling out the Title II form are available at the same site.

Applicants for Title II funds are encouraged to submit their forms electronically. E-mail Title II proposals for the northern half of the Forest to Dave Olson at dfolson@fs.fed.us (360) 891-5154 or for the southern half of the Forest to Sue Ripp at sripp@fs.fed.us (360) 891-5153. Proposals also may be mailed to Forest Headquarters in care of Olson or Ripp.

The public also may apply for Title III funds under the County Payments Act. Title III funds are allocated by the counties and may only be spent on six categories of projects: Conservation easements, Forest-related educational programs, community/urban forestry programs, search and rescue on Forest land, Forest-related educational opportunities and fire prevention. For more information or to apply for Title III funds, contact: Cowlitz County; (360) 577-3020; Lewis County (360) 740-1120; or Skamania County (509) 427-9447.

Additional information on Title II and Title III projects is available on the Forest's web site.

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US Forest Service
Gifford Pinchot National Forest - Vancouver, WA
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument - Amboy, WA
Last Modified: Wednesday, 26 January 2005 at 14:02:29 EST