Fifteen years ago, mountain pine beetle outbreaks resulted in standing dead and jack-strawed timber and high fuel loading across the Basin Creek Municipal Watershed south of Butte. Fuel loading can lead to high-severity fire, which can result in loss of soil stability and run-off. A single storm event following a high-severity fire may introduce large amounts of soil and woody debris from fire-affected areas of the watershed into reservoirs, increasing the potential for having to take a water treatment plant offline. If this were to happen, the City of Butte would have insufficient water to serve its residents. The city would need to draw water from the Big Hole River watershed that is used for agriculture and recreation and provides critical aquatic habitat for the Arctic Grayling. 

The Basin Creek Municipal Watershed project benefitted greatly from $4 million in BIL funding. This funding will cover the cost of implementing mechanical treatments on 1,500 acres. Additionally, the state of Montana has invested close to $1 million to support road engineering and reconstruction, hand thinning and piling, corner surveys, and to cover any budget shortfall for the mechanical work. The USDA Forest Service (Forest Service) has also invested close to an additional $1 million for the road work and mechanical work. The Basin Creek Municipal Watershed road improvements were completed in 2024. This winter, the Forest Service will burn slash piles from hand work completed this summer. Mechanical treatments are slated for the summer of 2025. Learn more in a video courtesy of John Driessen, DNRC Enterprise GIS Specialist, and Bret Lian, DNRC Enterprise GIS Analyst.

To learn more, contact Gary Ellingson, MT GNA Program Manager, and Ann Parks, GNA Supervisor Forester.

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The American Samoa Community College - Agriculture, Community and Natural Resources (ASCC-ACNR) Forestry Program received Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Forest Action Plan implementation funding in September 2022 to provide technical assistance to landowners, farmers, residents, students, and communities in American Samoa. The BIL grants were designed to provide additional funding to support projects within the Forest Stewardship Program (FSP) and the Forest Health & Invasive Species Program. 

The primary goal for the FSP-BIL project was to install two small 15’x15’ nurseries on FSP landowner client lands. Establishing two new nurseries provides better access to clients who are unable to visit the ASCC-ACNR Forestry Greenhouse due to transportation limitations, COVID restrictions, and conflicting daily schedules. The first nursery was established in the village of Auto, and the second nursery in the village of Amanave. Both sites are easily accessible and managed by stay-at-home gardeners who have agreed to long-term maintenance and use of the nurseries, as directed by a Memorandum of Understanding. The new BIL-funded nurseries have the same functions and services as the ASCC-ACNR Forestry Greenhouse. Forestry staff and interns visit the nurseries monthly to collect data and assist with activities such as weeding, transplanting, pruning, and more. Since June 2023, a total of 173 native saplings have been distributed to six clients and one church group. Both nurseries are still being developed, and once completed, the Forestry Program will distribute more trees to these nurseries and encourage residents and communities to visit them.

Both nurseries are located in American Samoa’s Forest Action Plan (FAP) priority areas and help to implement critical issues and strategies outlined in the FAP. These issues and strategies include educating the public and farmers about the importance of preserving native forests and landscaping alternatives to reduce the rate of conversion to impervious surfaces, planting native trees or soil-stabilizing grasses on stream corridors and riparian zones to mitigate soil erosion, and promoting agroforestry in urban zones to prevent clearing upslope.

While the project will conclude in December 2024, these nurseries will continue to serve the FSP, landowners, and clients for the long term.

To learn more about this project, contact DJ Sene at d.sene@amsamoa.edu.  

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The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) and USDA Forest Service Flagstaff Ranger District of the Coconino National Forest are working together on the Pumphouse Crossboundary Community Protection Project (CCPP) through the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) Program. In the Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI) Wildfire Crisis Strategy Landscape footprint, this Innovations Project was funded for $1,010,000 in September 2023 with IRA National Forest System dollars. Utilizing GNA for increased contracting flexibility and capacity, DFFM successfully developed and administered an RFP and subsequent state contracts for Remote Sensing Data Acquisition and Analysis services to meet the project objectives of capturing alternative pre-sale methods with mobile ground-based lidar technology. This project will examine the viability of using project-level lidar-derived data products to augment existing timber sale planning and preparation workflows to increase the pace and scale of forest restoration projects and meet the objectives of 4FRI. 

Approximately $900,000 of these funds are being used to scan 3,250 acres of ponderosa pine forest and to produce the following products using lidar-derived information: forest inventory, cutting unit viability, logging and transportation plan, boundary layout, prescription development, timber mapping and designation, and post-marking lidar analysis summary. Full completion is expected by October 2024. 

Future activities that will be contracted by DFFM under this GNA agreement include approximately 2,500 acres of timber stand improvement through hand thinning and merchantable timber removal. DFFM is currently planning fuels reduction activities on adjacent state trust land that will be funded with state dollars, expanding the treated area to approximately 3,500 acres.

The project, located 5 miles south of Flagstaff, will reduce fuels to lessen the risk and severity of damaging wildfire to the adjacent communities of Kachina Village, Forest Highlands, Pine Del and Mountainaire, and to protect the Pumphouse Wash/Oak Creek/Upper Verde River Watershed. 

Submitted by Christine Mares, Good Neighbor Program Manager, AZ DFFM. 

The California Department of Forestry and Fire (CAL FIRE), the USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region (USFS PSW) and American Forests are working together to bolster the reforestation supply chain through the California Reforestation Pipeline Partnership with an emphasis on seed collection and supply. The partnership features two statewide programs funded for $2,235,000 in April of 2022 with matched IRA federal and state disaster recovery funds. 

The California Cone Corps program created a workforce pathway into reforestation in a learning-by-doing environment that has, in two years, placed 28 individuals into roles as seed scouts, nursery and seed orchard technicians, and outplanting coordinators. These individuals have assisted in the identification, monitoring, collection and processing of thousands of bushels of forest seed for the only two publicly managed seedbanks in the state. 

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The ‘reforestation pipeline cooperative’ is facilitating increased public-private cooperation through the development and implementation of a statewide seed strategy. Through six quarterly gatherings thus far and project-based group “huddles,” the cooperative has featured 30 experts to more than 500 attendees building connectivity amongst the reforestation network, planned and hosted five forest seed collection trainings attended by 250 people, developed a map-based data collection application to report the location of seed crops needed to reforest specific disturbed forestlands, and published a ‘Cone Hunter’s Pocket Guide’ for practical in-the-field reference. An online platform has attracted and established connectivity amongst 110 practitioners who are using the space to share research, prevent wasted seedlings, discuss technical topic matter, seek peer recommendations and more.   

Subsequent BIL funding for State Forest Action Plan Implementation will continue the work of the cooperative including hosting cross-boundary reforestation needs assessment and planning workshops on wildfire-altered landscapes amongst agency, Tribal and affiliated partners. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) National Forest System funds will expand the placement of landscape-based Cone Corps members to facilitate seed collection across land-ownership boundaries in collaboration with both the state and federally managed seed banks in the state. 

Planting Trees, Reducing Green House Gases, and Expanding Public Knowledge with CAL FIRE’s Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program

Submitted by CAL FIRE  - July 2024

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In 2022, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s (CAL FIRE) Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) Program received $1,525,638 in funding from the USDA Forest Service (Forest Service) Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The UCF Program subgrants BIL funds to increase the long-term benefits trees provide, improve the public’s understanding and appreciation of urban trees, and advance urban forest management and tree care. Additionally, the UCF Program is administering $30.8 million USDA Forest Service UCF Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding; the application solicitation period closed in May 2024, with project awards to be granted soon.

California remains one of the primary leaders nationally in the pace and scale of UCF program activities while addressing challenges from social issues, development, pests, disease, and competing interests in water use. 

CAL FIRE’s UCF Program is actively engaged in helping to identify priority landscapes as well as other important areas for issues like storm water runoff, environmental justice, economics and jobs, and public health. The program has prioritized assistance services, outreach, and grants to disadvantaged communities to address racial justice, equity, climate adaptation, access to environmental benefits, and workforce development. Targets of 75% of program grants allocated to disadvantaged communities have been met and routinely exceeded. 

California continues to develop technology and information systems that support UCF expansion, improvement, and management methodologies which are adopted for use across the country. California has both a need and capacity for promoting urban forestry as infrastructure. Optimizing benefits while minimizing risks and costs requires routine assessment, maintenance, and enforcement of policies, in conjunction with outreach and education. 

Between 2022 - 2024, the UCF Program furthered these goals and initiatives with three subgrants using BIL funding: 

1. The Salton Sea Shores Climate and Shade Equity Project I
2. The Cal Poly Rapid Urban Forest Assessment (RUFA) Tool
3. The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) Shade Tree Outdoor Water Use Study.

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United for Justice has launched The Salton Sea Shores Climate and Shade Equity Project, in partnership with CAL FIRE, Forest Service, Bombay Beach Community Services District, Niland Chamber of Commerce, West Shores Community Center, and other local, state, and federal partners. Prioritizing the communities of Bombay Beach, Niland, and Salton Sea Beach, the project addresses environmental hazards from the Salton Sea’s receding waters and extreme heat. The project aims to plant over 250 trees, reduce air pollution exposure, educate residents about air quality, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts, provide CAL FIRE and its partner agencies with improved data and analysis methods, and engage and educate stakeholders on the efficacy of vegetative barriers to reduce pollution exposure. The project broke ground in March 2024 and will be completed by March 2027. 

Cal Poly is developing RUFA tool in collaboration with the UCF Program. This digital service combines existing Urban Forest Ecosystem Institute data sources with novel ones to create a dynamic urban forest assessment of every community in California. It combines the best available data on canopy cover, trees per capita, tree diversity, tree size, and equitable distribution of trees across a city. This tool then scores each location based on those metrics. Most importantly, RUFA offers suggestions for improving an urban forest based on that forest’s specific and current data. This tool provides the information necessary for users to prioritize certain areas for improvement, set policies, and support grant applications.

The California DWR with the UCF Program are performing a pilot study that develops an understanding of how to address the state’s coequal goals of efficiently using urban water supplies while increasing urban tree canopy. The study will develop recommendations using supporting information from an urban retail water supplier, Contra Costa Water District, and will include a literature review. The literature will estimate water budgets for design landscapes with increasing amount of tree canopy in consultation with horticultural experts, and perform a cross-sectional analysis of estimated outdoor water use and tree canopy for Contra Costa Water District that evaluates by landscape type. Understanding the design landscape water needs and comparing that with actual urban outdoor water use and percent tree canopy can assist in the Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) best management practices that will help water suppliers and local agencies enforce the drought emergency regulation along with maintaining and increasing tree canopy.

California continues to develop technology and information systems that support UCF expansion, improvement, and management methodologies which are adopted for use across the country. California’s urban forest community continues to have the mechanisms, excitement, and leadership in place to advance the urban forestry agenda. Efforts are ongoing to educate our community about the importance of urban forestry in local, regional, state, national plans and policies. The UCF Program will continue to address these goals through upcoming UCF IRA awards. 

Learn more about CAL FIRE’s UCF Program.

Submitted by Diana Selby, Manager of Program Delivery, Colorado State Forest Service

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The Forest & Woodland Resource Management Program - San Luis Valley Expansion agreement was developed for timber harvest operations and stewardship work to improve forest health and resilience to wildfires and drought, and remove insect and disease-infested trees in the San Luis Valley of southern Colorado.

The Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) entered into the five-year agreement in 2020 with several modifications to include funds for CSFS capacity and additional forest treatments. Recent funding has been supported by BLM Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Good Neighbor Authority dollars. 

Under this agreement, the CSFS has treated 117 acres of BLM lands via commercial sales and stewardship work and hired a full-time forester focused on BLM and adjacent private land treatments. The CSFS also secured various other funds to implement forest treatments on adjacent private lands, including 80 acres that have been treated to date.

To learn more, check out a video on CSFS’ website or contact Diana Selby. 

Submitted by Jon Songster 

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The Idaho Shared Stewardship Agreement between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and State of Idaho focuses on 6.1 million acres of National Forest System experiencing a combination of high wildfire hazard and above-normal levels of insect and disease mortality. In April 2022, the USDA Forest Service (Forest Service) announced the designation of two high-risk firesheds in the Southwest Idaho landscape as part of the implementation of the 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy. The Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) and the Payette and Boise National Forests entered into a joint agreement to implement fuels reduction projects under the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) in February of 2023. This agreement included $2,741,300 of funds resulting from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to plan and implement a wide range of vegetation treatments in the Southwest Idaho Landscape, including timber harvesting, mastication, and thinning.  

Approximately $580,000 of these funds are being used to complete fuels reduction activities contracted through the IDL under the GNA. About 1,150 acres of hand thinning and piling was completed in the fall of 2023 on the New Meadows District of Payette National Forest. Another 200 acres of mastication work is underway near the Bogus Basin Ski area on the Mountain Home District of the Boise National Forest. IDL is currently working with the National Forests to develop projects to implement more than 2,600 acres of additional fuels reduction work in 2024.  

The Forest Service Region 4 office is working in coordination with state, county, and tribal partners to identify and make investments across Idaho landscapes, both inside and outside of Wildfire Crisis Strategy areas, to reduce the impacts of wildfire to communities. These partnerships are filling crucial capacity gaps and are providing increased contracting flexibility to better leverage the existing workforce in local communities to meet desired future conditions.

To learn more, contact Jon Songster (IDL) at jsongster@idl.idaho.gov, Tim Leishman (Boise National Forest) at timothy.leishman@usda.gov, and Kyle Laven (Payette National Forest) at kyle.laven@usda.gov.

Submitted by the Kansas Forest Service 

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The Kansas Forest Service (KFS) received Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding from the USDA Forest Service State, Private, and Tribal Forestry to enhance state and tribal nurseries and seed orchards. The funding was directed to two major projects: the improvement of the conservation seedling nursery shadehouse structure and efficiency and capacity improvements for collecting, processing, and storing bulk tree seed for direct seeding reforestation and afforestation projects. 

The KFS Conservation Trees Program produces containerized conservation-grade tree and shrub seedlings, distributes bare-root conservation-grade tree and shrub seedlings produced by partner nurseries, and produces, collects, and processes tree and shrub seed for seedling production and bulk seed supply for direct seeding of trees in reforestation/afforestation projects. It has been in its operating location since the mid-1950s and expanded in the 1960s, where its focus was on coniferous species for windbreaks. Over the years, most of the demand and consequent production has shifted to primarily hardwood species and, as a result, the KFS seed and seedling production facilities have a reduced potential to meet existing demand.

The renovation of the shadehouse facility began in December of 2022, with an anticipated completion in May 2024. The BIL funds will be used to purchase a clearspan shadehouse along with an irrigation system, rack lifters, and other equipment and supplies used for containerized seedling production at KFS. The outcome of this project will be increased seedling production capacity, efficiency, and improved seedling quality.

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The improvements to the tools, supplies, and equipment used in seed collection and processing began in July 2023 and will conclude in July 2024. These improvements will begin with collection and processing efficiencies to increase capacity of the bulk tree and shrub seed program at KFS through purchasing equipment and supplies for faster seed collection, faster and more effective seed processing, and more efficient seed storage. The outcome of this project will be increased volume and quality of seed available for reforestation and afforestation projects via direct seeding in Kansas, and throughout the Midwest.

If you would like to learn more about these projects, contact Kansas Forest Service Water Quality Forester Andy Klein at ajklein@ksu.edu.

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) utilized BIL funding to support a new 4,320-square-foot greenhouse in Missoula. This greenhouse has allowed DNRC to increase seedling production to meet the growing demand for reforestation and conservation projects across the state.

Learn more in an article by the Missoula Current. 

Submitted by the Nebraska Forest Service 

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In April 2022, Nebraska found itself grappling with an extended drought that had persisted for nearly a year. The situation had grown dire, with the onset of the fire season occurring much earlier than usual, leading many to wonder if the previous year's fire season had ever truly ended. Nebraska was experiencing wildland fires in parts of the state that generally did not see or experience large destructive wildfires. This was particularly true with the Road 702 and Road 739 wildfires. Both wildfires were wind-driven, fast-moving fires consuming around 40,000 acres each and destroying homes and property.  

The focus of this story isn't the fires themselves but rather the insights the state gained while navigating these fires. Many volunteer fire departments lacked appropriate wildland fire gear when responding to these local disasters. The volunteers wore their structural bunker gear, which is heavy, hot, and unsuitable for wildfire suppression. In response to this pressing need, the Nebraska Forest Service (NFS) embarked on a mission to make a lasting impact and assist these volunteer fire departments in securing the appropriate wildland fire gear for future wildfire incidents.

Utilizing funding from the BIL Volunteer Fire Assistance program, NFS leveraged the funds against other state and federal funds to establish the Wildland Volunteer Fire Assistance program, a competitive grant program at 75% cost-share. 

The Wildland Volunteer Fire Assistance program provided wildland fire gear to volunteer fire departments in need. Items purchased included individual firefighter PPE, including Nomex clothing, fire shelters, hand tools, and more. This program was a great success, ultimately leading to NFS funding 103 departments with a total project cost of over $1 million.

Submitted by the Nevada Division of Forestry (via press release) 

Nevada's urban landscapes are set to flourish following a substantial investment from the Nevada Division of Forestry (NDF) through the Urban and Community Forestry Grants Program. 

NDF will distribute $2.3 million in USDA Forest Service grants to 16 organizations in Nevada to implement projects that enhance tree canopies, mitigate urban heat island effects, support workforce development, and create a more equitable canopy distribution across the state. The funding comes from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Community Forestry Assistance Program (CFA).

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Cayenne Engel, NDF’s Former Urban and Community Forestry Coordinator, highlighted the significance of the initiative, stating, "This funding is a crucial investment in Nevada’s communities. As the driest and fastest warming state in the nation, this investment not only enhances our communities' ability to build and maintain tree canopies but also addresses the vital issue of equitable canopy distribution, by focusing on underserved areas." 

Awards vary in size, spanning from $8,000 for tree planting initiatives to $350,000 for tree inventories, urban forestry planning, and workforce development. 

Expressing gratitude, Lisa Ortega, Executive Director of Nevada Plants, a statewide tree planting, advocacy, and education nonprofit, stated, “We appreciate the strong support from NDF and the US Forest Service for urban forestry. Collaborating with small communities and Tribes across Nevada allows us to address their specific needs for more trees, tree care education, and workforce development.” 

These investments in urban and community forestry projects align with broader efforts to cultivate sustainable and resilient ecosystems, making a lasting positive impact on local communities and their economies. The Urban and Community Forestry Grants Program stands as a testament to the commitment to environmental stewardship and community well-being.

Learn more about NDF’s Urban and Community Forestry Grants at https://forestry.nv.gov/urban-community-forestry-grant. 

Submitted by the North Dakota Forest Service

The North Dakota Forest Service hired a Wildland Training Technician to expand wildland fire trainings to North Dakota Rural Fire Departments and other cooperators. The added position, whose salary and operating expenses are supported by BIL Forest Action Plan funding, is intended to expand and enhance the Fire Management Program’s comprehensive wildland fire training and mentoring process and engage rural fire departments.

The role of the Wildland Training Technician is primarily focused on developing and implementing wildland fire curriculum with the North Dakota Firefighters Association and delivered during the annual fire school in Minot each winter. In addition, individualized trainings are held at the department’s training facilities in the evenings and on weekends.

Other opportunities to increase wildland firefighter capacity in the state included providing Basic Wildland Firefighter Certification to the North Dakota National Guard (NDNG). Over four days, forty-five service members were trained in both classroom and field settings. These trained firefighters help to add capacity during spring and fall wildland fire seasons when traditional resources are scarce. During severe fire years, large devastating wildfires like the one that necessitated the evacuation of Medora in early April 2021, happen before seasonal firefighters are available. Adding NDNG resources can help North Dakota help ourselves when disaster strikes. 

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Submitted by Scott Altenhoff, Manager, Urban & Community Forestry, Oregon Department of Forestry

In June of 2022, emerald ash borer (EAB), the most destructive and costly forest pest in US history, was detected in Forest Grove, Oregon. For two years, the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) has been working closely with the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) and Oregon State University (OSU Extension) to spearhead an interagency, community-based response. Funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Invasive Species Detection, Prevention, and Eradication and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Urban & Community Forestry provisions have been critical to the success of these early efforts, which have focused on public education and engagement, planning and network-building, and on-the-ground tree work.  

Oregon’s approach to EAB draws heavily on lessons learned from other states. Coalition partners are actively sharing information and insights via strategic communications and presentations throughout the region. These combined efforts highlight a dynamic, community-centered approach that leverages education, strategic planning, and interagency collaboration to tackle the EAB threat.

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While it’s clear that Oregon will never be able to eradicate EAB, the coalition’s aim is to slow its spread so that communities have more time to prepare and respond. So far, early efforts and investments are really paying off. EAB has only been detected in two cities in NW Oregon, Forest Grove and Cornelius. Moving forward, the key to EAB containment will be to maximize public awareness about the risks of transporting infested firewood while focusing on “early detection and rapid response.”  

In Forest Grove, ODF provided BIL funding for the removal and replacement of infested ash trees in both natural and residential areas. In the city of Cornelius, ODF conducted a community-wide ash tree inventory and identified large, healthy trees suitable for systemic treatment with emamectin benzoate. City staff then used this information to secure a local grant to treat these significant trees. ODF has also helped lead a workforce development program for Latinx high school students that focuses on ash tree identification, inventory, and EAB response planning. This initiative aims to broaden students' career horizons within urban and community forestry beyond conventional roles, emphasizing the diverse opportunities available in this field.

Submitted by Tony Seidl  - August 2024

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South Dakota’s Resource Conservation & Forestry Division (RCF) is working with the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region to use Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Forest Action Plan Implementation funds to provide forest landowners with acres inside the 2020 South Dakota Forest Action Plan high priority area cost-share assistance to improve forest conditions. A majority of the high priority area falls within the Black Hills in the southwestern part of the state: about 1.2 million acres of predominantly ponderosa pine forests requiring considerable efforts to maintain a healthy forest and productive timber industry. 

This BIL opportunity allows RCF to collaborate with other agencies to coordinate programs that encourage and implement healthy forest restoration practices. As of July 2024, Custer County Conservation District (CCCD) and South Dakota Family Forest Association (SDFFA) have applied to participate in this program with a goal to treat a combined 110 acres of private forests per year for the duration of the program or as funding allows. Landowners who reside in CCCD and members of SDFFA are encouraged to apply for involvement in this program through their respective organizations and work directly with RCF staff to create a property-specific management prescription. One benefit of working with the non-government agency SDFFA is that members already have active Forest Management Plans that align with the goals set forth in the 2020 South Dakota Forest Action Plan. 

The practices used in this BIL program may include thinning overstocked pine trees, brush management to remove pine encroachment from meadows and grasslands, and other means to improve forest diversity through the enhancement of hardwood populations. Landowners submit receipts for reimbursement upon completion of their projects and approved submissions are reimbursed at a maximum rate of $900/acre. RCF and participating agencies also work with US Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) regarding the endangered listing of the northern long-eared bat, a bat species native to South Dakota. RCF follows USFWS guidelines and imposes restrictions on management activities in potential northern long-eared bat habitat from May – September.

Submitted by Tony Seidl - August 2024

In 2022, the South Dakota State University Extension Weed Science program estimated that noxious weeds infested about 3 million acres in South Dakota with expected increases in the coming years. Using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Invasive Species Detection, Prevention, and Eradication funding, the South Dakota Resource Conservation & Forestry (RCF) provides cost-share opportunities to detect, prevent, and eradicate invasive species for the twelve counties that border USDA Forest Service (Forest Service) National Grasslands and National Forests in South Dakota. Eligible counties’ weed and pest boards can be reimbursed for treating non-federal land and creating educational materials about noxious weeds for the public.

This BIL funding complements RCF’s existing Consolidated Programs Grant’s Forest Health Invasive Plant Program, which aims to accomplish the same objectives from the South Dakota Forest Action Plan as the BIL program. The program provides financial incentives to help private forest landowners implement healthy forest restoration practices and to collaborate with other agencies to encourage the control of weeds and invasive species. 

Four counties have regularly participated in these programs, treating approximately 2,000 acres per year of noxious weeds on private land and along county rights-of-way adjacent to Forest Service National Forest and National Grassland. These funds also enable more than 6,500 noxious weed informational brochures to be printed and made available to landowners in the eligible counties. 

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Utah’s Forest Legacy Program Preserves Over 18,000 Acres with IRA Funding

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The Utah Forest Legacy Program (FLP) received $14.4 million in the latest round of funding through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to preserve 18,648 acres in two project sites in Northern Utah. 

The Coldwater Project in Cache County will preserve 15,623 acres of forested land and receive $10,545,000 of IRA funding. This project is a rare opportunity for landscape-level conservation as it ties together an expanse of National Forest System lands, a state wildlife management area, and existing FLP projects within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Bear River Watershed Conservation Area. Through IRA funds, this property will receive a conservation easement to preserve crucial habitat for several state-sensitive species, including the bald eagle, and includes a major elk migration corridor. This project also contributes to the local timber industry and offers public access for recreation and hunting. 

The Goring Forest Project in Rich and Cache County will receive $3,935,000 to preserve 2,725 acres of highly developable private forest within the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. This project site is one hour from the Wasatch Front – one of the fastest-growing areas in the country. The project supports a watershed-wide conservation strategy and collaborative efforts of state and federal agencies to increase the pace and scale of conservation throughout the tri-state Bear River Watershed (Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho). A conservation easement will protect crucial moose, elk, and deer habitat and a critical interstate wildlife corridor. 

Each site is bordered by state and federal partners who also manage their lands to meet agency-specific conservation objectives. For example, the Coldwater Project works with state and federal wildlife agencies to preserve valuable wildlife habitat in areas of the state that are starting to experience high interest from developers. This project ties together conservation work being done by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Forest Service, and the Utah Division of Wildlife. 

The Washington Department of Natural Resources Community Resilience and Forest Resilience programs utilized BIL State Forest Action Plan and IRA Landowner Assistance funds to support private forest landowners' wildfire risk reduction and forest health improvement efforts. 

Learn more in a two-part video series: Part 1 and Part 2.

• Striving for Resilience in Comprehensive Wildfire Planning - CWDG guest blog post by the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians

• Community Wildfire Defense Grant
• Forest Legacy
• Good Neighbor Authority
• Urban & Community Forestry