SLoCAMP Grant Opportunity For Loggers Working in Vermont Extends Deadline for Project Completion to Nov. 30, 2026
Cost-share program aids proactive water quality protection and climate adaptation practices on timber harvest sites. $290,000 in funding remains available.
MONTPELIER, VT – A grant-funded cost-share program created by the Vermont General Assembly in 2024 to help logging contractors that work in Vermont implement proactive water quality protection and climate adaptation practices on their harvest sites has been extended. The new deadline for completion of projects is now Nov. 30, 2026.
The Supporting Loggers to Comply with Acceptable Management Practices Program (SLoCAMP) is funded by the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation and administered by the Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast (PLC). The program supports contractors in preparing harvest sites responsibly – with long-term forest health in mind. It began accepting applications on July 21, 2025.
The program started with $700,000 in available funds and to date 32 projects have been approved for funding and $410,000 has been allocated for implementation of Acceptable Management Practices. $290,000 remains available.
Feedback from contractors participating in the program has been overwhelmingly positive. Participants highlighted the ease of the application process, the clarity of program materials, and the responsiveness and support from staff and foresters administering the program. Most importantly, contractors shared that SLoCAMP made projects financially feasible that otherwise would not have happened.
“The process has been very smooth and straightforward,” Mike Kelley, owner of Kel-log Inc., a logging company approved for a project in northern Vermont in 2025, said. “We were paid shortly after the job started and that has given us the funds to continue doing the necessary work. It’s been a very positive process, and I certainly would look forward to doing it again on our next harvest.”
The completion deadline for projects was extended to allow contractors considering projects for this spring and early summer adequate time to complete them. The pace at which funding has so far been awarded has been rapid, and logging contractors wishing to access the remaining funds are encouraged to apply soon at: www.plcloggers/slocamp
Funding is available through SLoCAMP for materials and labor tied to pre-harvest site preparation, including but not limited to:
• Hardening truck roads and landings
• Skid trail improvement
• Temporary stream crossings
• Permanent stream crossings
To qualify for the program:
• A project must be approved and completed by November 30, 2026.
• The harvest site must be in Vermont, over 10 acres, and focused on long-term forest management.
• The applicant must be a logging contractor and own more than 50% of the equipment used on the project. Commercial timber harvesting must account for more than 50% of the applicant’s income.
• The applicant must be in good standing with the Agency of Natural Resources and the Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets (Act 154) and Vermont’s AMP Enforcement and Compliance Program.
• The land must have been under the same ownership for at least 5 years, be currently enrolled in forestland Use Value Appraisal (UVA), or have a current conservation easement in place on the harvest area.
• The applicant must have a contract with the landowner before operations begin. (Note: This does not apply if the applicant is harvesting on their own land.)
State lands owned in fee simple are not eligible as AMPs are built into stumpage rates. State-owned Wildlife Management Areas where others own timber rights are eligible.
The PLC has created tools to guide loggers through the SLoCAMP grant program and help them determine if it’s a good fit for their operation. To learn more and to apply, go to http://www.plcloggers.org/slocamp.
Anyone with questions about the program is also encouraged to reach out to Jeff Benjamin, Deputy Executive Director of Certification at the PLC. He may be reached at jeff@plcloggers.org or by calling (207) 688-8195 Opt. 2.