CWSF Newsletter - May 2024

CWSF Newsletter | May 2024

Organizational Highlights

2024 CWSF/WFLC Spring Meeting

The 2024 Council of Western State Foresters (CWSF)/Western Forestry Leadership Coalition (WFLC) Spring Meeting is next week! The meeting will take place May 21-23, 2024, in Fargo, North Dakota.

Meeting details and agendas are available on the CWSF and WFLC event webpages.

Please contact Patricia Payne with any questions.

BIL and IRA State Forestry Stories - Arizona Feature

A new story from the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management has been added to CWSF’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) webpage.

If you are interested in submitting a BIL or IRA story, please contact Kelsey Delaney and Sara Goodwin.

Photo: Christine Mares

Policy Update

May 2024 Policy Update

Check out our latest policy update from Neil Simpson, CWSF/WFLC Director of Policy. This month’s policy update highlights:

Click the links above to jump to each individual topic or download a PDF in the CWSF publication library.

Committee Updates

2024 Forest Products Committee Annual Meeting

The CWSF Forest Products Committee (FPC) gathered for its 2024 Annual Meeting at the Idaho Department of Lands office in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, April 9-12.

Learn more about the meeting in a guest blog post from Kim Slezak with the Nebraska Forest Service.

Photo: Halie Miyazawa

Good Neighbor Authority Spotlight - Montana

Photo: Montana GNA Program

View our Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) webpage for this month’s GNA Spotlight, which features the Montana Department of Natural Resources work to reduce wildfire hazards and improve the landscape’s long-term health.

Competitive Grants Updates

Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG) Program

The FY 2023 CWDG award list has been announced. Learn more about the announcement and funded projects.

If you have any CWDG questions, please contact Halie Miyazawa.

Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR) Competitive Grant Program

The FY 2024 LSR Competitive Grant Program is now officially closed. Recommendations have been ranked and reviewed by the WFLC Executive Board and sent to the Washington Office. Once approved, the award list will be posted to the WFLC LSR webpage.

If you have any LSR questions, please contact Leena Visnak.

Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Grant Program

The FY 2024 WUI Competitive Grant Program is now officially closed. This year’s applications have been ranked and approved by the CWSF Executive Committee and sent to the Washington Office. Once approved, the award list will be posted to the CWSF WUI webpage.

If you have any WUI questions, please contact Leena Visnak.

Forest Legacy Program (FLP)

The Forest Service is awarding $154 million through the FLP to 26 projects in 17 states that will conserve approximately 168,000 acres of private forestlands across the United States. Read the press release and view the list of funded projects by state for FY 2024.

WFLC is currently helping to support the 2024 National FLP Summit, set to take place in Kalispell, MT, June 11-13, 2024. Learn more about the 2024 National FLP Summit.

News and Notes from Our Members and Partners

Member and Partner Transitions

USDA Forest Service Alaska Region: Chad VanOrmer accepted the position of Regional Forester for the Alaska Region (R10) effective April 21. VanOrmer has acted in the position since March. He replaces David Schmid, who retired in October 2023.

To view a list of current CWSF and WFLC members, view our member directory . If you are a member and wish to update this information, please contact Sara Goodwin.

Job Opportunities

Looking for a job opportunity in forestry? Find your next position in western forestry on the CWSF job blog. (Note that the listing for State Forester - Division Director for the Alaska Department of Natural Resources has been extended.)

If you would like to submit a job posting, please contact Patricia Payne.

Western Happenings

For a quick look at a few of the recent happenings in the western region, check out the features below:

Colorado: $1.6 Million in Grant Funds Available to Enhance Urban Forests, CSFS Awards Funds to Increase Outreach About Wildfire Risk in 24 Counties
Kansas: New Episode of Kansas Canopy Podcast
North Dakota: New Champion Trees Crowned in 2023
Oregon: Oregon Dept. of Forestry seeks to give $10 million in urban forestry grants to federally recognized Tribes
Utah: Forest Legacy to Fund Summit County’s Wasatch Back Forest Conservation Project
Washington: Tree Mortality Attributed to Douglas-fir Engraver Reaches 55-Year High in Annual Forest Health Highlights
USDA Forest Service Alaska Region: Forest Service Chief Moore announces new regional forester for the Alaska Region
USDA Forest Service Intermountain Region: USDA Forest Service Partners with Utah to Conserve Acres
USDA Forest Service Northern Region: $5 million invested to strengthen the wood products economy across Montana
USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region: USDA Forest Service to invest $50.7M in Oregon, Washington to reduce wildfire risk to local communities
USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region: USDA Forest Service Invests Over $45M to Reduce Wildfire Risk to Communities in CA and HI

If you have a press release or feature you would like to include in an upcoming newsletter, please email Sara Goodwin.

Meetings Calendar

See the calendar of meetings and events hosted by CWSF/WFLC and partner organizations.

Wood Innovations Announcement

On May 14, USDA announced that nearly $74 million is being invested in 171 project proposals across 41 states and American Samoa through the Wood Innovations Grant, Community Wood Grant, and Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance Grant Programs.

Read the press release.

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