CWSF Newsletter | June 2021
Organizational Highlights
Water, Wildfire, & Forestry in the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands
The Pacific Islands Forestry Committee (PIFC), in cooperation with the Western Forestry Leadership Coalition (WFLC) and the Timmons Group, developed an online interactive StoryMap highlighting forestry projects from across the Pacific Islands focused on water and wildfire.

The featured stories demonstrate the unique nature of island forestry and highlight outcomes resulting from forestry investments in the Pacific Islands. 
FY 2022 WUI and LSR Grant Cycles

The fiscal year (FY) 2022 Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Grant Program opened for applications on June 17 and closes on October 29, 2021. The grant portal can be accessed at https://www.forestrygrants.org and additional information can be found on the CWSF website. 

The FY 2022 Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR) Competitive Grant Program will open on August 5 and close on October 29, 2021. FY22 materials will be posted on the WFLC website in July, pending formal national approval. 
 
Please contact Danielle Okst with any questions.
Member and Partner Updates

USDA Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen announced her retirement after a 40-year career as a professional forester, wildland firefighter, and land manager including 11 years of service at the Forest Service. Chief Christiansen will retire from federal service in August 2021.  

Helge Eng joined the Alaska Department of Natural Resources as Director of the Division of Forestry and Alaska State Forester.

Nancy Hirsch has been designated as the Acting State Forester for the Oregon Department of Forestry.  
Policy Update
The Administration’s full FY 2022 Budget Request was released on May 28. The request bodes well for the USDA Forest Service State and Private Forestry programs supporting forestland owners, wildland fire operations, management needs across landscapes in the West, and a myriad of other high priority forestry needs.

The catastrophic fires of last year, the wildfires already raging across the country this year, and President Biden’s focus on climate change has all led to a heightened awareness and policy proposals on how best to tackle this issue. Senators, State Foresters, and other natural resource organizations are all spotlighting this issue with the aim of furthering an effective collaborative approach to improve the health of our forests, the safety of citizens, and support the economy. 
News and Notes from Our Members and Partners
2021 Fire Year Letter
The Wildland Fire Leadership Council recently shared a letter authored by non-federal members addressing the 2021 fire year. The non-federal letter highlights the shared commitment to promote a safe and effective wildland fire year, and is intended to be complementary to messages shared by federal agencies.

Pacific Islands SelecTree Virtual Workshop
Join Dr. Matt Ritter and Dr. Jenn Yost on July 8 for a workshop on Pacific Islands SelecTree, a new online tree selection and identification tool for trees of the Pacific.

This workshop will demonstrate these new tools for identifying and accessing information about cultivated trees. As part of the workshop, participants will be asked to share about trees from their region and will practice using the tools.

The workshop is open to all, and will take place on July 8 at 1:00 p.m. HST. You may access the webinar via Zoom.
Job Opportunities
Looking for a job opportunity in forestry? Find your next position in western forestry on the job blog.

If you would like to submit a job posting, please email Sara Goodwin. 
Event Calendar
See the 2021 calendar for events hosted by CWSF/WFLC and partner organizations.
Questions, comments, feedback? Please contact us!