NR 47.75(3)(a)
(a) “Comprehensive county forest land use plan" means the document governing management of the county forest which has been approved by the county board and the department, s.
28.11 (5), Stats.
NR 47.75(3)(b)
(b) “County" means a county that has entered county-owned land under the county forest law, ss.
28.10 and
28.11, Stats.
NR 47.75(3)(c)
(c) “County forest time standards" refers to the agreement between the department and a county that quantifies the amount of technical forestry assistance the department provides to the county to fulfill s.
28.11 (5) and
(6), Stats., responsibilities.
NR 47.75(3)(d)
(d) “Fiscal year" means the time period commencing at July 1 and ending on June 30.
NR 47.75(3)(g)
(g) “Annual adjustment category" means that part of the county forest time standards that identifies time needed to complete short term projects in excess of the required minimum core hours. The quantity of these hours is adjusted annually by mutual agreement of the department and the county.
NR 47.75(4)
(4)
Eligible projects. To be eligible for a sustainable forestry grant:
NR 47.75(4)(a)
(a) Projects shall promote sustainable forestry on the county forest and may include, but are not limited to any of the following:
NR 47.75(4)(a)1.
1. Salvage, treatment or reforestation operations stemming from storms, insects, disease or fire.
NR 47.75(4)(a)6.
6. Short-term, accelerated efforts at timber marking, reconnaissance, regeneration harvest establishment or timber stand improvement to reduce backlogs of overdue practices.
NR 47.75(4)(b)
(b) Projects shall be consistent with a county's comprehensive county forest land use plan under s.
28.11 (5) (a), Stats.
NR 47.75(4)(c)
(c) Projects shall be suitable as a short term and unanticipated workload item as identified in the annual adjustment category of the county forest time standards.
NR 47.75(4)(d)
(d) A grant under this section may be awarded to a county to contribute to the funding of a subcontractor for the purposes described in par.
(a).
NR 47.75(5)(a)(a) Ineligible projects include, but are not limited to:
NR 47.75(5)(a)3.
3. Upgrade or replacement of existing computer software and hardware.
NR 47.75(5)(b)
(b) Grants may not be used to fund work required by the department as part of its obligation under the county forest time standards.
NR 47.75(5)(c)
(c) Grants may not be used to fund projects that are ongoing in nature and a regular inclusion in an annual work plan.
NR 47.75(6)(a)
(a) Other than as provided in par.
(c), a county may apply for a sustainable forestry grant under this section for the purposes described in sub.
(4). The application shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following:
NR 47.75(6)(a)1.
1. Documentation of approval by county forestry committee as identified in s.
28.11 (3) (a), Stats., specifying the county's decision to apply for a sustainable forestry grant.
NR 47.75(6)(a)2.
2. The project description including: maps, an estimated cost breakdown and a short narrative to be signed and approved by the county forest administrator and the department liaison forester.
NR 47.75(6)(a)3.
3. Other information the department feels necessary and requests within 20 days following receipt of the application.
NR 47.75(6)(b)
(b) Grant applications shall be for a minimum of $1000.00 with a maximum not to exceed 25% of the total available funds in any one year. Applications shall be filed by the county with the department's division of forestry.
NR 47.75 Note
Note: The mailing address is WI DNR, Division of Forestry, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921 Attn: County Forest Specialist.
NR 47.75(6)(c)
(c) A county is ineligible to apply if any of the following occur:
NR 47.75(6)(c)1.
1. Current management or internal policy is in opposition to the county forest land use plan.
NR 47.75(6)(c)2.
2. Previous unexpended funds from this grant program are owed the department as described in sub.
(9) (e).
NR 47.75(6)(c)3.
3. A county fails to comply within 3 years to department forestry audit recommendations.
NR 47.75(7)(a)(a) Grants shall be awarded on a fiscal year basis and applications shall be accepted during the application periods in this section as follows:
NR 47.75(7)(a)1.
1. The first application period shall be from July 1 to August 15. Decisions on those applications shall be made no later than the following September 15 in accordance with par.
(b).
NR 47.75(7)(a)2.
2. The second application period shall be from August 16 to December 1. Decisions on these applications shall be made in accordance with par.
(b) no later than January 1.
NR 47.75(7)(a)3.
3. All other applications received from December 2 to June 30 shall be approved on a first-come, first-serve basis.
NR 47.75(7)(b)
(b) In selecting projects for grants under this section, the department shall give priority to eligible projects as follows:
NR 47.75(7)(b)1.b.
b. Hiring of temporary staff to address short-term workload items identified in sub.
(4).
NR 47.75(7)(c)
(c) Within a preference category, projects in counties that have received grants the most recently shall be given lowest priority.
NR 47.75(7)(d)
(d) If, after ranking a project in accordance with pars.
(a) and
(b), full funding is not available due to insufficient funds to provide grants applied for in the first 2 application periods, the department shall offer the applicants the choice of receiving pro-rated funding for the project up to the amount of available funding or withdrawal of the application.
NR 47.75(7)(e)
(e) No less than 25% of the annual funds shall be kept available for appropriation during the second application period.
NR 47.75(7)(f)
(f) A grant under this section may be awarded to a county to contribute to the funding of a subcontractor for the purposes described in sub.
(4).
NR 47.75(7)(g)
(g) No county may have more than 2 open projects at any one time.
NR 47.75(8)(a)
(a) Payment of all grants shall be made at project completion unless an advance payment has been made by the department.
NR 47.75(8)(b)
(b) An advance payment of not more than 50% of the grant amount may be paid upon mutual agreement of the county and the department.
NR 47.75(8)(c)
(c) The county shall submit information requested by and satisfactory to the department demonstrating project completion.
NR 47.75 Note
Note: The mailing address is WI. DNR, Division of Forestry, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921 Attn: County Forest Specialist.
NR 47.75(8)(d)
(d) A county may apply more than once in any given calendar year although no county will receive a second grant until all pending initial projects from other counties that meet the criteria in sub.
(4) are funded.
NR 47.75(8)(e)
(e) An individual county may not be awarded grants totaling more than 25% of total available funds in one fiscal year.
NR 47.75(9)
(9)
Project completion accountability and audit procedures. NR 47.75(9)(a)(a) Grant funds may be spent only on project identified costs.
NR 47.75(9)(b)
(b) All grant funds received from the department shall be deposited in the county state aid forestry account.
NR 47.75(9)(c)
(c) All grant records shall be audited with the normal departmental audit of the county forest program.
NR 47.75(9)(d)
(d) An approved project may not exceed 2 years in length unless written approval is obtained from the department.
NR 47.75(9)(e)
(e) Any grant funds not spent on project identified costs or not used by the termination date of the project shall be returned to the department. Failure to return the funds shall render a county ineligible for any future grants under this section.
NR 47.75 History
History: CR 01-146: cr.
Register May 2002 No. 557, eff. 6-1-02.
NR 47.80
NR 47.80 Purpose and scope. The
purpose
of this subchapter
is to establish procedures
and
standards
for the ad
ministration
of
the private
forest
landowner
grant
program as authorized
under s.
26.38, Stats.,
and to distribute
other
available
stat
e, federal,
and nonprofit
organization
funds
for the
purpose
of encouraging
private
forest
landowners
to
manage their lands
in a
manner
that benefits
the state's
forest
and
related
resources
and
the people
of the state.
NR 47.81
NR 47.81 Applicability. This subchapter is applicable to private, non-industrial forest landowners applying for or receiving grants under this subchapter.
NR 47.81 History
History: Cr.
Register, March, 1999, No. 519, eff. 4-1-99.
NR 47.82
NR 47.82 Definitions. In addition to definitions in s.
NR 47.002, the following definitions apply to this subchapter:
NR 47.82(1)
(1) “Afforestation" means establishing a forest on land not previously forested due to past land use, e.g., agricultural use.
NR 47.82(2)
(2) “Landowner forest stewardship plan" means the plan prescribing forest stewardship measures to be used on a particular site to achieve multiple natural resource goals.
NR 47.82(2m)
(2m) “Nonprofit
organization"
means
an organization
described
in section
501(c)(3) to (7) of the internal
reven
ue
code
and is exe
mpt
from federal
inco
me
tax under
section
501(a) of the internal revenue code.
NR 47.82(3m)
(3m) “Practice" means a stewardship activity or conservation measure consistent with the landowner forest stewardship plan to accomplish the landowner's desired management objectives.
NR 47.82(4)
(4) “Progra
m"
means
the private
forest
landowner
grant
program
authorized
under s.
26.38, Stats.
NR 47.82(5)
(5) “Reforestation" means establishing a forest on lands that were previously forested but where cover has been lost due to recent harvesting, land conversions, natural disasters or other destructive agents.
NR 47.82(6)
(6) “Riparian area" means the area or zone adjacent to a navigable stream or other body of water.
NR 47.82(7)
(7) “Wetlands" means an area where water is at, near or above the land surface long enough to be capable of supporting aquatic or hydrophytic vegetation and which has soils indicative of wet conditions.
NR 47.82 History
History: Cr.
Register, March, 1999, No. 519, eff. 4-1-99;
CR 12-029: cr. (2m), am. (4)
Register June 2013 No. 690, eff. 7-1-13.
