(Published by Inland Forest Management, Inc.)

Wolcott First in West to be NRCS Certified

The first private forestry professional west of the Mississippi to become a Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) certified forest planner was Mike Wolcott, co-owner of Inland Forest Management, Inc. More recently, other Idaho consulting foresters have become certified. As a Technical Service Provider for private forest owners, Wolcott is certified to complete forest management plans and administer forest improvement practices that are partially funded by the NRCS.

Wolcott, a Certified Forester through the Society of American Foresters and a member of the Association of Consulting Foresters, completed a variety of classes as well as met experience and formal educational (B.S. Forest Management) requirements to receive this distinction, which authorizes him to complete NRCS forest plans in the states of Idaho and Montana and the Inland regions of Washington and Oregon.

The NRCS is a federal agency that provides landowners with natural resource assistance, and is the gatekeeper for such programs as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). With an NRCS-approved forest plan in place, landowners not only have a valuable forest management tool, but also have the opportunity to apply for federal funding for resource enhancements such as tree planting, thinning and erosion control. Substantial money is available through EQIP, but in order to qualify, a landowner must have an approved forest management plan, the cost of which may also be funded through the program.

Contact our office for additional information about the EQIP program.

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