The Heritage Forest Program provides a new option for private landowners who wish to ensure that their woodlands will remain both protected and productive well beyond their lifetimes. Suitable forested properties also help ensure the future financial strength of the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy while offering estate planning options, including immediate and long-term tax relief, to its participants.

Because the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy is a nonprofit corporation and not a private individual, the NPC can provide stewardship of a property in perpetuity. Properties managed by the NPC serve as outdoor classrooms for demonstrating sustainable forest management techniques. The forests provide an important source of income to support the work of the NPC, and are used for education and recreation.

The Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy believes that one of the best ways to encourage people to property manage their woodlands is to have examples of properly managed forest lands scattered throughout Pennsylvania. The NPC works to provide for the conservation and ecologically sound management of forest lands through:

• Permanently protecting Pennsylvania's forests through gives and acquisition of land

• Educating landowners, foresters, and the general public about the benefits of forest stewardship and multi-generational forest land planning

• Actively managing NPC lands as demonstration forests for sustainable management

• Supporting the development and implemenation of forest policies that encourage and sustain private ownership of Pennsylvania forests

• Conservation of a working landscape that supports Pennsylvania's ecological diversity, economic welfare, and quality of life

The tax laws provide the following opportunities for such a gift:

• Reduce or eliminate estate tax

• Receive a charitable deduction for income tax purposes

• Avoid capital gains tax on appreciated propery