Organizational Highlights | |
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2024 CWSF/WFLC Fall Meeting
The 2024 Council of Western State Foresters (CWSF)/Western Forestry Leadership Coalition (WFLC) Fall Meeting is coming up! This year’s meeting is November 5-7, 2024, in Missoula, MT. Registration is now closed.
Please contact Patricia Payne with any questions.
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CWSF Staff Participates in NASF Annual Meeting | |
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CWSF staff Danielle Okst, Sara Goodwin, and Neil Simpson attended the National Association of State Foresters (NASF) Annual Meeting in Providence, RI, from September 23-26.
Highlights from the meeting included participation in the NASF Foundation Board Meeting to report on CWSF’s Communications Intern (details below), the announcement of the newly elected NASF Executive Committee, updates from the USDA Forest Service Washington Office, and the approval of three resolutions (detailed in the policy update below). NASF also announced plans to add the Farm Services Agency to the Joint Forestry Team.
Additionally, Walter Passmore, chair of WFLC’s Western Urban & Community Forestry Committee and State Urban Forester at CAL FIRE, was honored with the 2024 Steve Sinclair Current Achievement Award for Urban and Community Forestry.
The 2025 NASF Annual Meeting will be hosted in Kona, HI, September 15-19, 2025.
Read NASF’s meeting summary.
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Summary from CWSF Communications Intern - Autumn Oberhart | |
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October 2024 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 in the CWSF publication library.
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WSFM and WSBM Meeting Recap | CWSF hosted the Western State Fire Managers (WSFM) and Western State Fire Business Managers (WSBM) committee meetings in Spokane, WA, from October 8 to 10. | |
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Learn more about the latest developments in the forest products sector from the CWSF Forest Products Committee. From preparing for a Ponderosa Pine Symposium to recent funding announcements from the USDA Forest Service during National Forest Products Week, catch up on the latest efforts! | |
The Sandstone Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) Fuels and Forest Health Project in southeast Wyoming aims to restore aspen landscapes to increase watershed protection, improve wildlife habitat, and reduce wildfire concerns. | |
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CWSF Forest Health Committee Annual Meeting | |
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The CWSF Forest Health Committee (FHC) hosted its first annual meeting from October 1-3, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. Meeting attendees included FHC representatives from 10 western states and Palau, the Forest Health Committee chairs from the Northeast-Midwest State Foresters Alliance and Southern Group of State Foresters, three USDA Forest Service Forest Health Protection (FHP) regional staff, the Forest Service Washington D.C. FHP Director, and NASF Forest Science & Health Committee staff.
Meeting topics included invasive species management, non-traditional funding sources for forest health projects, federal FHP reporting, regional and national FHP updates, and more. The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management planned a field tour to examine local invasive species management, discuss restoration following wildfire, and explore a local pollinator garden with native shrubs and trees.
View the CWSF FHC webpage.
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Competitive Grants Updates | | |
Forestry-Related Competitive Grant Programs Overview
CWSF and WFLC assist with multiple forestry-related grant programs in the Western region. The Wildland Urban Interface (WUI), Community Wildfire Defense Grants (CWDG), and Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR) are three main grant opportunities that CWSF/WFLC staff help program managers and applicants learn about program updates and apply for the grant programs.
Last year, more than 150 projects received over $80 million in funding through these three grant programs in the Western region.
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CWDG Program
The timeline for round 3 is being determined and will be announced once finalized. Additional information and updates can be found on the Forest Service CWDG webpage and the CWSF CWDG webpage.
If you have any CWDG questions, please contact Halie Miyazawa.
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LSR Competitive Grant Program
The FY 2025 LSR grant process is now open and will close on November 15, 2024. For more information and to view a recording of the FY 2025 informational webinar, visit the WFLC LSR webpage.
If you have any LSR questions, please contact Leena Visnak.
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WUI Grant Program
The FY 2025 WUI grant application period opened on September 13, 2024, and will close on December 20, 2024. Additional information is available on the CWSF WUI webpage. CWSF’s WUI Training will take place in Omaha, NE, December 10-11, 2024.
If you have any WUI questions, please contact Leena Visnak.
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News and Notes from Our Members and Partners | |
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Looking for a job opportunity in forestry? Find your next position in western forestry on the CWSF job blog.
If you would like to submit a job posting, please contact Patricia Payne.
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For a quick look at a few of the recent happenings in the western region, check out the features below:
States/Pacific Islands:
USDA Forest Service:
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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See the calendar of meetings and events hosted by CWSF/WFLC and partner organizations. | |
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Nominations are now open for the 2025 Smokey Bear Awards, the highest national honor for outstanding work and significant program impact in wildfire prevention.
Learn more about the criteria and submit a nomination. All nominations must be submitted by December 31, 2024.
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2025 Wildfire Mitigation Awards | |
Nominate your community’s hero for a 2025 Wildfire Mitigation Award! These awards recognize outstanding work and significant program impact in wildfire preparedness and mitigation. Nominations for the 2025 period will close on December 18, 2024, and awards will be presented at the Wildland Urban-Interface Conference in March 2025.
Learn more.
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