USDA Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Robert Bonnie today announced a federal investment of over $40 million for restoration of forests near growing communities to reduce wildfire threats, protect water supplies, improve wildlife habitat and support rural economies. This is the third year of the Joint Chiefs’ Landscape Restoration Partnership between the U.S. Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to improve the health and resiliency of
forest ecosystems where public and private lands meet. “The health of our forests and our rural communities very often go hand in hand,” Bonnie said.
“USDA works with other public and thousands of private landowners through a range of programs and partnerships to decrease the threat of wildfire, restore forest habitat and increase economic and other opportunities for the families and businesses that make their homes near woodlands.”
Washington and Oregon were awarded funding for two new projects, plus additional funding for ongoing projects. In Washington State and the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region, the All Lands, All Hands: Building Resilient Landscapes and Fire Adapted Communities in Washington’s East Cascades was selected:
A partnership including 30 organizations has been working to address the increasing threats facing the East Cascades from severe wildfire and insect outbreaks. This project will build upon existing collaborative efforts to improve landscape resiliency and forest health and reduce community risk across three project areas.
Project activities will focus on implementing forest and aquatic projects on public lands and funding strategic fuels reduction and aquatic habitat restoration projects on private and state lands. Overall, these activities will contribute to an increased pace and scale of restoration across the region, while enhancing habitat and protecting water quality and quantity.
Fiscal year 2016 funding: USFS – $200,000; NRCS – $580,000
Forest: Okanogan-Wenatchee
Partners: Washington Department of Natural Resources; Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife; The Nature Conservancy; Conservation Districts; Yakama Nation; Washington Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network; North Central Washington Forest Health Collaborative; Tapash Sustainable Forest Collaborative.