The US Forest Service is making $190 million available to help private forest landowners adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change and retain working forestlands.
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said climate change threatens people, communities, infrastructure and natural resources across the country. He said healthy, resilient forests can better withstand climate change impacts and contribute to solutions by storing additional carbon.
The long-term exclusion of restorative, low-severity on fire-dependent forests is already challenging forest health in the Pacific Northwest, something the Forest Service is addressing through its Wildfire Crisis Strategy and other fuels reduction programs.
Continued climate warming and related changes in rainfall and drought cycles further raises the stakes. Past and predicted climate changes are exacerbating stress for native trees and other vegetation, affecting water temperature, quality and supplies, and contributing to the hotter, drier conditions and increased fuel loads that can produce larger, higher severity wildfires.
Of the total, $140 million is available to support state-endorsed cost-share programs for landowners. Cost-share payments lower the financial barriers for landowners. Additionally, $50 million is available to programs that issue payments directly to landowners to adopt practices that increase carbon sequestration and storage of their forests.
For more information about the available funding opportunity including eligibility and how to apply, visit: "fs.usda.gov/ira-forest-landowner-support."
