For each workshop, the BBCC provides a summary of 12 different assistance programs offered by state and federal agencies as well as private organizations, including the BBCC’s own conservation program.

The BBCC’s conservation program started in 2003, when U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) awarded the BBCC a Private Stewardship Grant of $85,200. That grant was used to assist 10 private landowners in planting bottomland hardwood species on 860 acres of marginal cropland. The BBCC program planted a minimum of 12 different species on reforestation sites based on procedures used by the USFWS Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program. The BBCC strongly believes restoring functional forests with multiple tree canopy species will reap many more benefits for both the resource and the landowner than restricting restoration to only a few tree species. Site conditions, historical vegetation types, and landowner preferences determine species selection. In exchange for the BBCC covering 90% of the restoration costs, the landowners agree to leave the trees in the ground for at least 25 years.

The BBCC applied for another Private Stewardship Grant in 2004 to expand our activities to include habitat enhancement. That proposal was accepted and the BBCC is receiving a $65,800 grant for planting trees and habitat improvement and demonstration projects. The program will involve the removal of Chinese tallow trees, an invasive exotic species that quickly dominates the early stages of forest succession and inhibits native forest restoration. The BBCC will also set up control programs for feral hog populations to decrease the habitat damage where this species overlaps with bear range.

Benefits Beyond Bears

While the Landowner Assistance Program focus is linking and expanding bottomland hardwood forest to recover the Louisiana black bear, the BBCC also explains how this restoration benefits much more than just bears. There are many plant and animal species that rely on bottomland hardwoods for different life stages and requirements, including 60 rare species and 7 rare community types. People benefit as well when these forests are restored. The change from nonproductive farmland to bottomland hardwood forest results in increases in water quality, improved retention and gradual release of flood waters, better storage of carbon dioxide in forest biomass, and quality wildlife habitat, which creates new hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreational opportunities. After each workshop, the BBCC provides follow-up consultations with individual landowners to identify programs that best suit their needs and qualifications and to assist in finalizing conservation agreements.

With lands near the bear population in Pointe Coupee Parish, Eugene Lafield received financial assistance from the BBCC to convert 18 acres of his land from marginal cropland to bottomland hardwood forest. He signed up for the program primarily for the hunting benefits of reforestation. “If you don’t own your own hunting land, it’s very difficult to find areas to hunt, especially for me because I am disabled,” Mr. Lafield said, “This [reforestation] program lets me create a hunting area on my own land where I can teach my grandkids how to hunt and value the forest.”

Joe Hughes was able to get 64 acres of his hunting camp reforested in Catahoula Parish. His property is in a high priority area for bear restoration because it helps to increase the already existing Glade Woods forested block of several thousand acres. “We bought this farmland because we knew it had timber production and hunting opportunities,” Mr. Hughes said, “It’s a lowland area so it’s not very good for farming, but great for growing trees and wildlife.”

Landowner Willie Carter entered into the BBCC’s conservation program to receive financial assistance to plant bottomland hardwood forest on 135 acres in Tensas Parish.  While Mr. Carter is in favor of black bear restoration, his primary interest in reforestation wasn’t limited to black bears. “I want to invest in the long term value of the land. I’m putting trees back in the ground so my children and grandchildren can enjoy the forest,” Mr. Carter said, “We took out too much forest in the past and its time for us to put some back.”  And the BBCC and its many partners are working hard to do just that!