Forest Legacy Management Flexibility Act

This bill lets any state approve qualified land trusts and similar groups to buy and manage forest conservation easements under the Forest Legacy Program. Before, special permission was named for just one state; this change opens it up to all states. These groups must be set up mainly for conservation, meet IRS rules for conservation charities, have clean legal and tax records on easement donations, and keep accreditation from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture must allow a state to approve such groups if the state asks. Groups must show they can acquire, monitor, and enforce easements in line with the state’s forest needs plan and the Forest Legacy Program. If a group can’t do the job, changes an easement in the wrong way, or transfers it improperly, the easement rights end for that group and go back to the state or another approved group .

This aims to protect working forests by adding trusted local partners while keeping strong oversight, so easements stay focused on conservation and public benefits like habitat and clean water .

• Who is affected | What changes | Oversight/Safeguards
• States; qualified land trusts and conservation groups; private forest landowners | States can approve accredited, conservation-focused groups to hold and manage Forest Legacy easements statewide | USDA authorization on state request; strict eligibility; and “reversion” of the easement to the state or another approved group if rules aren’t followed