Forestland Evaluation and Site Assessment (FLESA)

A NH Resource Conservation and Development ( RC&D) Project*

Forestland Evaluation and Site Assessment (FLESA) provides communities with the tools to assess their forest resources, identify local values and goals, and better integrate natural resources into economic development strategies and planning in relation to the larger landscape.

The FLESA project team was lead by New Hampshire Resource Conservation and Development Councils.  The team (see list below) has been working on the following:

The FLESA manual,  Planning for the Future of Local Forests: A Guide for New Hampshire Towns Using the Forestland Evaluation and Site Assessment Process. This document is available for download with Adobe Acrobat

Planning for the Future of Local Forests (876 Kb)

A geographical information systems (GIS) software (ArcView®) extension.  Download the software extension now (200 Kb)
The user guide to go with the ArcView® Extension is available for download with Adobe Acrobat.  

User guide to go with the GIS Extension. (1.47 Mb)

The maps above are examples of the products available from the FLESA method.  The map on the left highlights environmentally sensitive areas in a town, and the map on the right shows forestland productivity ratings.

The FLESA Project Team consists of:

• NH Division of Forests and Lands
• UNH Cooperative Extension
• New Hampshire Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
• NH Office of State Planning
• NH Association of Conservation Commissions
• NH Timberland Owners Association
• Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests

*Major support for this project was provided to RC&D by the USDA Forest Service through the NH Division of Forests and Lands.

Visit the New Hampshire RC&D website.