December 2025 Newsletter

ORGANIZATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

2025 CWSF/WFLC Fall Meeting Highlights

Council of Western State Foresters (CWSF) and Western Forestry Leadership Coalition (WFLC) members met in Washington, D.C., from December 10-12 for the 2025 CWSF/WFLC Fall Meeting.

The meeting featured updates from Tom Schultz (USDA Forest Service Chief), John Crockett (USDA Forest Service Deputy Chief), and Michael Boren (U.S. Department of the Interior, Acting Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management, and Budget).

The agenda included discussions on Shared Stewardship, wildfire risk, budgeting, and technology, along with highlights from each State and Island Forester. Committee chairs presented accomplishments from their 2025 work plans and outlined proposed actions for 2026. During their time in D.C., State Foresters participated in Hill visits with members of Congress and their staff to share recent accomplishments and discuss forestry priorities.

Photo: Neil Simpson

SAVE THE DATE

2026 CWSF/WFLC Spring Meeting

May 12-14, 2026 | Nebraska City, NE

Strategizing to Advance Ponderosa Pine Markets in the West

Nearly 130 forestry leaders and practitioners from across the West participated in the Ponderosa Pine Utilization Summit in Flagstaff, AZ, November 18-20. Hosted by the CWSF Forest Products Committee in collaboration with the Forest Stewards Guild and Hardigg Consulting, the Summit brought together forest industry managers, researchers, land managers, nongovernmental organizations, and other stakeholders to identify key barriers, develop practical solutions, explore innovations, and determine the resources needed to grow the utilization of ponderosa pine.

A key deliverable of the Summit includes a forthcoming action plan outlining a set of high-potential actions in policy, markets, infrastructure, and research.

POLICY UPDATE

December 2025 Policy Update

Read the latest policy update from Neil Simpson, CWSF/WFLC Director of Policy. This month’s policy update covers:

Click the links above to jump to each individual topic or download a PDF on our website.

COMMITTEE UPDATES

Highlights and Accomplishments Reports

CWSF and WFLC committees, in collaboration with CWSF/WFLC staff, have created a series of Highlights and Accomplishments Reports to showcase the impact of forestry funding on state and private lands. These reports highlight program achievements and demonstrate how investments are advancing shared forestry priorities across the West.

Explore the reports below:

View all reports in the CWSF publication library.

CWSF Forest Products Committee Meeting

The CWSF Forest Products Committee held its 2025 Annual Meeting in Flagstaff, AZ, following the Ponderosa Pine Utilization Summit. The meeting offered a key opportunity for committee members and partners to connect and discuss forest utilization issues and opportunities at the state, regional, and national levels.

2026 CWSF/WFLC Committee Leadership and Work Plans

During the Fall Meeting, committee chairs reported on 2025 accomplishments and shared an overview of their work plans for 2026. To view each committee’s work plan, visit their individual webpages linked below.

Each CWSF and WFLC committee is guided by a leadership team, including a Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Past Chair, and State Forester Advisor. Below are the Chairs, State Forester Advisors, and Staff Liaisons for 2026.

CWSF Forest Health Committee

Chair: Jason Moan (AK)

State Forester Advisor: Marcus Warnke (SD)

Staff Liaison: Kelsey Delaney

CWSF Western State Fire Managers Committee

Chair: Bill Waln (KS)

State Forester Advisor: Jamie Barnes (UT)

Staff Liaison: Halie Miyazawa

CWSF Forest Products Committee

Chair: Kim Slezak (NE)

State Forester Advisor: Jeremy Douse (AK)

Staff Liaison: Kelsey Delaney

WFLC Pacific Island Forestry Committee

Chair: Jenny Grimm (HI)

Staff Liaison: Sara Goodwin

CWSF Forest Stewardship/

Landowner Assistance Committee

Chair: Trevor Dobell-Carlson (AK)

State Forester Advisor: Kelly Norris (WY)

Staff Liaison: Neil Simpson

WFLC Western Urban and Community Forestry Committee

Chair: Alyssa O’Brien (NM)

State Forester Advisor: Tom Claeys (ND)

Staff Liaison: Neil Simpson

CWSF Good Neighbor Authority Committee

Chair: Kyle Sullivan (OR)

State Forester Advisor: Tom Torres (AZ)

Staff Liaison: Kelsey Delaney

Stay tuned for additional committee updates!

COMPETITIVE GRANTS UPDATES

Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG) Program

Round 3 awards have been announced. The list of funded projects can be found on the Forest Service CWDG webpage.

NEWS & NOTES FROM MEMBERS & PARTNERS

Job Opportunities

Visit the CWSF job blog for the latest job opportunities from Western state forestry agencies and partners.

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

Meetings Calendar

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

Important upcoming CWSF/WFLC dates include:

CWSF/WFLC Spring Meeting | May 12-14, 2026 | Nebraska City, NE

Western Happenings

For a quick look at recent happenings in the West, check out the features below:

STATES/PACIFIC ISLANDS

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USDA FOREST SERVICE

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Northern Research Station: Rooted in Research
Research and Development: November National Research Digest | Improving Reforestation | Conserving Soil, Water and Wildlife Resources in Productive Forests
Rocky Mountain Research Station: Fire Lives Here | New Research on How Wildlife Respond to Prescribed Fire | Drought Effects on Fire Behavior and Tree Mortality | Owl Habitat Science | Rescheduled Webinars: Science for Productive Forests and Rangelands
Washington Office: Forest Service Features

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

2026 Smokey Bear Awards

The Smokey Bear Awards are the highest national honor in the world of wildfire prevention. Know someone who goes above and beyond to share Smokey's message and help prevent wildfires? Nominate them for a 2026 Smokey Bear Award by December 31, 2025.

Learn more about the award criteria and submit a nomination.

2026 Wildfire Mitigation Awards

Established in 2014, the national Wildfire Mitigation Awards recognize outstanding work and significant program impact in wildfire preparedness and mitigation. All nominations must be submitted by Wednesday, January 7, 2026.

Learn more.

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