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2008 Session

Budget Amendments - HB30 (Member Request)

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Chief Patron: Joannou
Virginia Tech-Tropical Forest Foundation

Item 361 #11h

Item 361 #11h

First Year - FY2009 Second Year - FY2010
Natural Resources
Conservation and Recreation, Department of FY2009 $300,000 FY2010 $0 GF

Language
Page 335, line 48, strike "$64,245,793" and insert "$64,545,793".
Page 337, after line 23, insert:
"H.  Out of the amounts appropriated for Technical and Financial Assistance for Land Management, $300,000 the first year from the general fund is provided to the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's College of Natural Resources to support the study of sustainable forest management in cooperation with Tropical Forest Foundation, an international forest conservation organization with which the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University has signed a memorandum of understanding.  In addition to sustainable forest management, this funding will provide students with opportunities to work in reclamation and reforestation of abandoned mining sites, and reforestation for carbon sequestration."


Explanation
(This amendment provides $300,000 the first year from the general fund to Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources. This special one-time grant is requested to establish a strong organizational base to maximize college's partnership with the Tropical Forest Foundation, an international conservation organization based in Alexandria, Virginia. These two organizations signed a Memorandum of Understanding in October 2006, and are moving rapidly towards a expanding programs that will strengthen the outreach of both. The TFF programs include established on-the-ground projects that teach sustainable forest management principles through the application of reduced impact logging practices. This concept, which has been promoted and taught by TFF over the past fifteen years, is now widely accepted and has greatly influenced tropical forest management. Other efforts will include reclamation and reforestation of abandoned mining sites, and the use of reforestation for carbon sequestration.)