ORGANIZATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

In Case You Missed It

Check out our December 2025 newsletter for highlights from the Council of Western State Foresters (CWSF)/Western Forestry Leadership Coalition (WFLC) Fall Meeting, Ponderosa Pine Utilization Summit, and Forest Products Committee Meeting, along with accomplishments from across the West, and information from CWSF/WFLC’s committees. 

SAVE THE DATE

2026 CWSF/WFLC Spring Meeting

May 12-14, 2026 | Nebraska City, NE


Five-Year State Forest Action Plan Review

In December 2025, the USDA Forest Service State, Private, and Tribal Forestry Board approved an extension of the five-year State Forest Action Plan review and highlights report requirements. The new deadline is March 31, 2026


View the original memo from September 2024.

POLICY UPDATE

January 2026 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

Chiefs, Managers, and Supervisors Meeting

The 2026 Chiefs, Managers, and Supervisors (CMS) - Wildland Fire Committee met January 13-15, 2026. This meeting brought together State Foresters, Fire Chiefs, Fire Managers, and Fire Supervisors from across the nation, as well as federal representatives from the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior (DOI). 


This meeting provided an opportunity to share information, updates, successes, and challenges related to wildland fire. Topics included a 2025 wildfire year-in-review, regional updates, recent policy updates, reorganization of federal agencies, and breakout discussions focused on key issues and challenges.


At the conclusion of the meeting, the CWSF Western State Fire Managers (WSFM) convened to debrief on the CMS meeting, discuss their work plan for the upcoming year, and begin initial planning for the WSFM annual meeting, scheduled for October 2026. The WSFM meeting was attended by State Foresters, Fire Managers, and representatives from 16 of the 17 Western states.

COMPETITIVE GRANTS UPDATES

Competitive Grants


There are no new grant updates at this time. View each grant webpage below: 



Please contact Halie Miyazawa and Leena Visnak with any questions. 

NEWS & NOTES FROM MEMBERS & PARTNERS

Member Announcements

  • Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has appointed Kacey KC as the new State Forester and Director of the Oregon Department of Forestry, pending Oregon Senate approval. KC’s effective start date will be March 1, 2026.


  • Charles Aiseam is serving as the Acting Director of the Division of Agriculture for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Lands and Natural Resources. Jack Ogumoro has moved into a new role as Director of Administrative Services.


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

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: 



  • WFLC WUCF Annual Meeting | March 24-25, 2026 | Virtual
  • 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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If you have a press release or feature you would like to include in an upcoming newsletter, please email Sara Goodwin

Questions, comments, feedback? Please contact us!

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