CWSF/WFLC Director of Policy Neil Simpson shared a policy update with attendees and referred back to the FY 2025 Appropriations Table. 

See below for breaking news related to the Farm Bill and Disaster Relief funding. Stay tuned for a full policy update in our December newsletter.

Farm Bill

Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Chairwoman Stabenow introduced S.3309 - Rural Partnership and Prosperity Act of 2023, commonly referred to as the Farm Bill. View the press release and Senate Farm Bill text. 

Disaster Relief

President Biden has asked Congress for nearly 100 million in disaster relief funding, and the Senate Committee on Appropriations held a hearing on November 20, 2024, to review disaster funding needs.

During the Fall Meeting, Committee Chairs/Representatives were in attendance to report out on accomplishments from 2024. Key highlights from each committee are included below. 

To view the full accomplishments report and work plan for the coming year, visit each committee's webpage. 

CWSF Forest Health Committee

• Convened the committee’s inaugural in-person meeting in Phoenix, AZ. At the meeting, members discussed state forestry agencies' forest health organization structures, non-traditional funding for forest health projects, and state and federal reporting requirements, among other items.
• Showcased two features on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) State Forestry Stories webpage.
• Coordinated with the USDA Forest Service Timber Transport Pilot Team to explore questions and discuss possible forest health implications of the pilot program.

CWSF Forest Products Committee

• Solicited information from key stakeholders and began planning a Ponderosa Pine Utilization Symposium to be held in 2025. The purpose of the summit is to convene a group of industry, government, and non-governmental organizations to identify industry needs, foster innovation, and identify potential resources and support. 
• Members attended the Hardwood Industry Needs Summit, May 8-10, in Memphis, TN.

CWSF Forest Stewardship/Landowner Assistance Committee

• Convened the committee’s inaugural in-person meeting in Folsom, CA. At the meeting, members discussed the similarities and differences in stewardship program structure, focus, and opportunities throughout the West. 
• Strengthened relationships and opened direct lines of communication with Forest Service Stewardship staff at Regional Offices and the Washington Office.

CWSF Good Neighbor Authority Committee

• Developed a western synthesis of GNA activities and accomplishments across 13 state forestry agencies from the time each state began implementing GNA through the end of state fiscal year (FY) 2024. View the 2024 Synthesis and the accompanying StoryMap.
• Developed seven GNA spotlights for the WFLC GNA Resources webpage and CWSF BIL and IRA webpage. 
• Met with the Forest Service Washington Office to discuss FY 2025 BIL GNA funding, opportunities for GNA implementation across western states, and shared critical input to long-term GNA planning. 

CWSF Western State Fire Managers Committee

• The WSFM Health & Wellness Subcommittee developed a new webpage focused on resources for wildland firefighters and their families.  
• Held an in-person annual meeting in conjunction with Chiefs, Managers, & Supervisors (CMS), and hosted an annual meeting in conjunction with the Western States Business Managers (WSBM) in the Fall.
• Developed a Director of Wildland Fire Position Description and supported CWSF efforts to secure funding for the position.

WFLC Pacific Island Forestry Committee

• Hosted the first Pacific Islands Technical Training Workshop since 2019, bringing together over 100 participants from across the Pacific Islands.
• Revised and renewed the PIFC strategic plan for 2025-2029, and revised the PIFC charter.
• Finalized the development of communication products for each Pacific Island.

WFLC Western Urban and Community Forestry Committee

• Developed a publication, Collective Progress: Enhancing Urban & Community Forestry Across the West, featuring U&CF stories from 10 western states centered on the impact of increased state and federal funding. 

2025 Committee Leadership & Annual Meeting Dates

Each CWSF and WFLC committee has a leadership team, which includes a Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Past Chair, and State Forester Advisor. Current Chairs, State Forester Advisors, and Staff Liaisons are listed below.