The Woodland Incentive Program provides financial aid to those seeking to revitalize forested areas on otherwise unused land. Eligible landowners can apply for specific practices through their local forester. If approved, landowners complete the practices and pay for the goods and/or services. The local forester will then inspect the practice to ensure proper implementation. Upon approval by the forester, copies of the invoices and checks used to pay the invoices are submitted to the forester for processing. The landowner will then receive a reimbursement check for up to 65% of their costs. Eligible practices include: thinning, pruning, prescribed burning, crop tree release, site preparation for natural or artificial reforestation, herbicide treatments and planting of seedlings.
The program pays up to 65% of eligible practices and is available to owners of at least 5 forest acres but not more than 1,000 acres that, when appropriate, has the potential to be harvested for products including logs, timbers, pulpwood, firewood, woodchips, poles, piles, posts and other primary forest products, has not been subject to federal cost-share assistance in any of the 5 years preceding application for the same practice and has not received Woodland Incentive Program assistance in any of the 15 years preceding application for the same practice.
Approximately $100,000 is distributed to 75-100 landowners for management practices on 1,500 – 2,000 acres.
For more information please go to https://dnr.maryland.gov/forests/Pages/programapps/costshareprograms.aspx#wip