2026 Fall Meeting

The 2026 Council of Western State Foresters (CWSF) and Western Forestry Leadership Coalition (WFLC) Fall Meeting will take place in Washington, D.C., from Wednesday, December 2, to Friday, December 4. 

Registration will open in October, with additional meeting details to follow.

Please note that the meeting will take place in person and that attendance is limited to CWSF State Foresters and their representatives, USDA Forest Service WFLC members, and invited partners. 

Questions? Please reach out to Patricia Payne.

2026-2027 CWSF Executive Committee

The transition of the CWSF Executive Committee takes place following the National Association of State Foresters (NASF) Annual Meeting.

The 2026-2027 CWSF Executive Committee includes:

• Chair: Laura McCarthy (NM)
• Incoming Chair: Jeremy Douse (AK)
• Treasurer: Kacey KC (OR)
• Past Chair: Tom Claeys (ND)

Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program’s Notice of Funding Opportunity  

The USDA Forest Service is accepting applications for the Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program through October 13, 2026. This program provides financial assistance to Indian Tribes, local governments, and qualified conservation nonprofit organizations to acquire and establish community forests by protecting forestland from conversion to non-forest uses and providing community benefits, including public recreation, environmental and economic benefits, and forest-based educational programs. 

The full NOFO and supporting materials (including scoring guidance and FAQs) are available on grants.gov. (Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-FS-2026-CFP)

Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program

The Bureau of Reclamation will be collecting applications for the WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program until October 7, 2026.

Visit grants.gov to learn more about this opportunity, which provides funding for watershed group development, restoration planning, and watershed management project planning and design. (Funding Opportunity Number: R26AS00349)

NEWS & NOTES FROM MEMBERS & PARTNERS

Upcoming CWSF/WFLC Dates Include: 



• CWSF Forest Stewardship/Landowner Assistance Committee Annual Meeting | September 29-October 1, 2026 | Anchorage, AK
• CWSF Forest Health Committee Annual Meeting | September 29-October 1, 2026 | Anchorage, AK
• CWSF Western State Fire Managers Committee Annual Meeting | October 6-8, 2026 | Salt Lake City, UT
• CWSF Forest Products Committee Annual Meeting | October 14-15, 2026 | Virtual
• WFLC Pacific Islands Forestry Committee Executive Committee Annual Meeting | October 20-22, 2026 | Hilo, HI
• CWSF/WFLC Fall Meeting | December 2-4, 2026 | Washington, D.C.

For a quick look at recent happenings across the West, check out the features below: 

STATES/PACIFIC ISLANDS

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• Arizona: U.S. Forest Service, Arizona Sign Agreement to Restore Forests, Protect Watersheds, and Support Rural Economies
• California: Ready is How California Leads, and Every Californian Has a Role to Play
• Kansas: Kansas Canopy September Newsletter
• Montana: Gov. Gianforte Highlights Forest Management Project in Lakeside
• Nebraska: A Life Spent Outdoors: John Erixson Steps Down as Nebraska State Forester
• New Mexico: New Mexico Forestry Division September Newsletter
• North Dakota: Excellence in Forestry Honored at 2026 Trees Bowl
• Oregon: Latest Survey by Air of Oregon’s Forests Reveals Drought Underlies Many Tree Health Issues
• Washington: Emerald Ash Borer is Here. What Now?

USDA FOREST SERVICE

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• Forest Service Completes National Facilities Review, Identifies More Than $16M in Savings
• Wildfire and Shared Stewardship: Before and After
• Water, Woodchips, and Wildlife
• Research and Development: Wildfire Speed Bumps: The Latest Science on Fuel Breaks | Keeping Forests Working

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!