Forest Legacy
The Forest Legacy Program (FLP) is a land conservation program administered by the U.S. Forest Service in partnership with State agencies to protect privately owned forest land threatened by conversion to non-forest uses. Through the FLP, State and Federal agencies, local units of government, non-governmental organizations, and landowners work toward shared conservation objectives to preserve the public benefits of privately owned forest land.
How it Works
Learn how the partnership between Federal and State agencies works to conserve privately owned forestland.
Eastern Region Forest Legacy Program State Coordinators
| State | Name & Email | Organization |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | Dan Peracchio | Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Division of Forestry |
| Delaware | Chris Miller | Department of Agriculture, Forest Service |
| Illinois | Chris Whittom | Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forest Resources |
| Indiana | Brenda Huter | Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry |
| Iowa | Aron Flickinger | Department of Natural Resources, Forestry Section |
| Maine | Rex Turner | Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Bureau of Parks and Lands |
| Maryland | Daniel Root | Department of Natural Resources, Forest Service |
| Massachusetts | Lindsay Nystrom | Department of Conservation and Recreation, Bureau of Forest Fire Control and Forestry |
| Michigan | Kerry Heckman | Department of Natural Resources, Forest Resources Division |
| Minnesota | Christine Ostern | Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry |
| Missouri | Gus Raeker | Department of Conservation, Forestry Division |
| New Hampshire | Mark Faulkenberry | Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Division of Forests and Lands |
| New Jersey | Vincenzo Ferriola | Department of Environmental Protection, Green Acres Program |
| New York | Jeffrey Mapes | Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Lands and Forests |
| Ohio | Jared Craig | Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry |
| Pennsylvania | Tom Stahl | Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry |
| Rhode Island | Brendan Buckless | Department of Environmental Management, Division of Planning and Development |
| Vermont | Kate Sudhoff | Agency of Natural Resources, Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation |
| West Virginia | John Rowe | Department of Commerce, Division of Forestry |
| Wisconsin | Ron Gropp | Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry |
USDA Forest Service - Eastern Region Forest Legacy Program (FLP) Staff
| Name & Email | Position |
|---|---|
| Kirston Buczak | FLP Regional Program Manager |
| Ron Scott | FLP Realty Specialist |
| Liam Krause | FLP Realty Specialist |
| Neal Bungard | Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program Regional Program Manager |
| Whitney Burgess | FLP Program Assistant |
Eastern Region FLP Project Selection Timeline for FY26 LWCF and FY25 IRA
Forest Legacy Program Implementation Guidelines (May 2017)
Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions (2016)
FY26 LWCF FLP National Call for Proposals Letter
FY26 LWCF FLP National Scoring Guidance
FY26 LWCF FLP Eastern Region Proposal Instructions
FY25 IRA FLP National Call for Proposals Letter
Other Resources
A Federally-administered private forestland conservation program in which tribal entities, local governments, and qualified non-profits hold property interests.
A national land conservation organization that represents more than 950-member land trusts. Find a land conservation organization near you.