September 2025 Newsletter

ORGANIZATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

2025-2026 CWSF Executive Committee & WFLC Executive Board

The transition of the Council of Western State Foresters (CWSF) Executive Committee and Western Forestry Leadership Coalition (WFLC) Executive Board occurred following the recent National Association of State Foresters (NASF) Annual Meeting.

CWSF Communications Internship Summary

Today marks Kaydyn Guelsdorf's final day as CWSF's Communications Intern. We are grateful to Kaydyn for her many contributions over the past several months, and extend our thanks to the NASF Foundation for helping make this internship possible.

Learn more about her internship experience in her reflective blog post.

Ponderosa Pine Utilization Summit

Time is running out to register for the Ponderosa Pine Utilization Summit, which will be held November 18-20 in Flagstaff, AZ.

Together, we’ll examine the current state of ponderosa pine forests and industry in the western United States. Through case studies, intentional dialogue, and working sessions, participants will identify key barriers, develop practical solutions, explore innovations, and determine the resources needed to stabilize and grow the utilization of ponderosa pine.

Become a Summit Sponsor!

CWSF is currently offering sponsorship opportunities for the Ponderosa Pine Utilization Summit. If your company or organization is interested in participating, please contact Patricia Payne or visit the Summit webpage for more information.

Western Forest Legacy Program Summit

Western Forest Legacy Program partners gathered September 16-18, 2025, in Fort Collins, CO, for the 2025 Western Forest Legacy Training Summit.

The Summit provided a valuable opportunity to examine challenges, share successes, build and strengthen relationships, and discuss strategies for exchanging tools and training resources among peers.

Photo: Leena Visnak

POLICY UPDATE

September 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.

COMPETITIVE GRANTS UPDATES

Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG) Program

Round 3 awards have been announced.

On September 23, 2025, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke L. Rollins, announced the funding of 58 applications for $200 million. The list of funded projects can be found on the Forest Service CWDG webpage.

View a press release from NASF.

Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR) Competitive Grant Program

The fiscal year (FY) 2025 LSR grant application period is closed to applicants. This grant program has been scored, and the advisory recommendation list has been submitted and reviewed. The approved recommendation list outlining FY 2025 western-funded projects can be viewed on our WFLC LSR webpage, and information on projects funded across the country can be found here.

Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Grant Program

The FY 2025 WUI grant application period is closed to applicants. This grant program has been scored, and the advisory recommendation list has been approved. The FY 2025 western-funded project list can be viewed on our CWSF WUI 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.

Western Happenings

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

STATES/PACIFIC ISLANDS

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California: California & Nevada Join Northwest Compact
Kansas: September Kansas Canopy Newsletter
North Dakota: Excellence in Forestry Honored at 2025 Trees Bowl
Oregon: As Expected, Emerald Ash Borer Has Been Found in Multiple New Sites This Summer, Including Portland

USDA FOREST SERVICE

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Northern Region: $8.7M in Grants Awarded for Northern Idaho and Montana to Reduce Wildfire Risk to Communities
Northern Research Station: Working Together: Science that Supports States
Pacific Southwest and Pacific Northwest Research Station: Research Supporting Fire
Pacific Southwest Region: USDA Invests Just Over $24M in California and $1.6M in Hawaii to Reduce Wildfire Risk to Communities
Research & Development: September National Research Digest | Science for Productive Forests - Reducing Risks to Timber Resources | Science for Wildfire & Safety During Fire | Science for Wildfire & Safety Pre-Fire Management & Preparedness
Rocky Mountain Research Station: Science You Can Use Audio Roundup | Science Syntheses for Stream Restoration Success | Science You Can Use: Upcoming Fall Webinars | Science for Managing Fuels in Sagebrush Country
Washington Office: Forest Service Features | USDA Invests in 58 Community Projects to Reduce Wildfire Risk | USDA Forest Service Invests More Than $23M in Grants to Boost Timber Production, Reduce Wildfire Risk | USDA Announces Forest Health Resilience Projects to Improve Timber Production

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

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