HFF III Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Modification of Working Forest Conservation Easements Held by NYSDEC on Lands Owned By Heartwood Forestland Fund III, LP
The proposed action is to modify three (3) working forest conservation easements, held by the Department and which encumber approximately 110,000 acres of industrial forestland, for the purpose of providing the landowner with a permanent right to lease 220 recreational camp envelopes to hunting and fishing clubs and individuals, along with the discretion to permit lessees to use motor vehicles on designated routes to access lease camps. Also, the modification would require landowners to either have the Department approve a forest management plan OR landowners would need to enroll the property in an approved forestry certification program. Among other benefits, certification requires landowners to have their forestry practices audited and inspected by independent certifying entities who must determine whether the landowner's forestry practices are sustainable. In exchange, HFFIII will convey all rights and title on 2,661 acres of their lands to The People of the State of New York; and will grant the public year-round access to and recreational use of the Easement lands, which currently have seasonal restrictions until 2014.
Written comments are welcome and should be sent to the contact person listed below until December 11, 2009 at 5:00 PM.
Heather Carl
NYS DEC
Division of Lands and Forests
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-4255
email: HFF3DEIS@gw.dec.state.ny.us
View Draft Environmental Impact Statement (PDF, 325 KB)
