S. 1050 — Forest Conservation Easement Program Act of 2025

This section establishes the Forest Conservation Easement Program under a new subtitle I of Title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3801 et seq.), following a redesignation of the existing subtitle I as subtitle J. The program authorizes the acquisition of two easement types on eligible land (i.e., private or Indian tribe-owned forest land, or land being restored to forest): (1) forest land easements conveyed to eligible entities (i.e., state/local governments, Indian tribes, or qualified nonprofits) that protect working forests, natural resources, and conservation values while allowing continued production and uses under a forest management plan; and (2) forest reserve easements conveyed to the USDA Secretary that similarly protect resources and forest nature under an applicable plan, with enrollment required to measurably increase recovery likelihood for species listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1533) or improve candidates, state-listed species, or species of greatest conservation need. Program purposes are to protect working forests from nonforest uses, enhance forest ecosystems, restore habitats for threatened, endangered, or at-risk species, and fulfill functions of the Healthy Forests Reserve Program (as in effect prior to enactment). (As background, the prior program restored and protected private forestland ecosystems, prioritizing endangered species habitat.) The Secretary must facilitate and fund eligible entities' purchases of forest land easements and development of related plans.

This section repeals the Healthy Forests Reserve Program (HFRP), established under Title V of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 6571 et seq.), which provided financial assistance through easements and contracts to restore, enhance, and protect forest ecosystems on private lands. (As background, HFRP is replaced in the list of covered programs under the Regional Conservation Partnership Program—i.e., those conservation programs eligible for RCPP funding and partner agreements—with the Forest Conservation Easement Program established under subtitle I of the Food Security Act of 1985.) This section further provides transitional protections for existing HFRP contracts, agreements, and easements by preserving their validity and required payments or technical assistance; permits use of Commodity Credit Corporation funds appropriated for HFRP in FY2019–FY2024 for those purposes (without increasing payments); and authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to use Forest Conservation Easement Program funds for the same under pre-enactment rules. (Thus, ongoing HFRP obligations continue uninterrupted while shifting future activities to the successor program.) This section also makes conforming amendments to repeal HFRP from the Healthy Forests Restoration Act table of contents.