The Forest Land Enhancement Program (FLEP) was adopted in the 2002 farm bill (P.L. 107-171, Sec. 8002) as an amendment to the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978

Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978

The Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 is a United States federal law enacted in 1978. It revised the authority of the United States Forest Service for to provide financial and technical assistance to states and private landowners on a variety of forestry issues, including forest...

 (P.L. 95-313; 16 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.). FLEP replaces the Stewardship Incentives Program

Stewardship Incentives Program

The Stewardship Incentives Program is a program administered by the United States Forest Service through the Farm Service Agency that provided up to 75% cost sharing for silvicultural activities implementing approved renewable resource plans. The program was terminated in the 2002 farm bill , and...

 (SIP) and the Forestry Incentives Program (FIP). FLEP is optional in each state and is a voluntary program for non-industrial private forest (NIPF) landowners. It provides for technical, educational, and cost-share assistance to promote sustainability of the NIPF forests. The law provided FLEP with $100 million from the CCC through FY07. Half of these funds were diverted to wildfire control in 2003, and $40 million of those funds have not been replenished and the spending authority has been cancelled.