The Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program

The Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program was enacted in the 2008 Farm Bill. The program provides 50-50 matching grants to tribes, local governments and qualifying nonprofits for fee purchase of forestlands to convert to community forests. This competitive program ensures technical assistance from the state forester and will prioritize lands threatened by development. The program offers technical assistance to develop and implement management plans for each new community forest. The program is intended to help rural and urban communities address development pressures on adjacent forestlands that can compromise public access to recreation, sustainable economic development and watershed protection and other ecosystem services. The program is administered by the U.S. Forest Service.