SECTION 1.  Section 2A of Chapter 312 of the Acts of 2008, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking line item 2800-7022 in its entirety and inserting in place thereof the following line item:--

“2800-7022.. For the purpose of protecting and conserving the ecological and economic integrity of the commonwealth's privately held forestlands, including but not limited to acquisition of interests in land including easements, agreements, rights of first refusal and covenants; for a forestry conservation restriction program to acquire conservation restrictions under section 31 of chapter 184 for private working forests actively devoted to sustainable forestry, and classified as forest land under section 2 of chapter 61 of the General Laws, in order to encourage sustainable forestry, protect prime forest land, and help the viability and affordability of sustainable forestry; provided, that working forest conservation restrictions shall be held by the department of agriculture or the department of conservation and recreation or the municipality in which the land is located; provided further, that projects shall be rated based on the suitability of land to grow forest products, the fair market value of the land as determined by independent appraisers, proximity to other protected working forests, management history of the project to serve as a model of sustainable forestry and the degree to which the conservation restriction would serve to preserve and make affordable the practice of sustainable forestry in the commonwealth; and for grants to public and non-public organizations and private landowners for education, technical assistance, forest stewardship practices, enhancement of ecosystem services and carbon sequestration, estate planning, interests in land or associated land acquisition costs; grants to private forest landowners, forest businesses and non-profits for the forest viability program for enhancing sustainable economic benefits of forests, including business plans and implementation grants and no-development covenants to be held by the department of agriculture or the department of conservation and recreation,  including but not limited to forest management plans for private landowners; provided, that projects and funding shall be approved by the secretary of energy and environmental affairs; and provided further, that projects may be carried out in cooperation with other governmental agencies, private landowners, and conservation organizations according to management agreements approved by the secretary, and provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended annually for new Chapter 61 Forest Management/Forest Stewardship Plans.......... $4,000,000”