The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), and U.S. Forest Service (Forest Service) renewed their agreement allowing continued work across boundaries to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires, improve forest and watershed health, and create jobs in rural, forest-dependent communities.
The cooperative work agreement was extended until 2032 under the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA). This is a provision of the 2014 federal Farm Bill that allows state agencies to do vital restoration work on national forestlands in Oregon. Those make up nearly half of Oregon’s 30 million forested acres.
Kyle Sullivan with the Oregon Department of Forestry is that agency’s Federal Forest Restoration Program Lead. Sullivan said ODF, ODFW and the Forest Service have been working together for over six years under the current GNA agreement. “We’ve identified long-term projects that extend beyond the agreement’s original 2026 expiration date. The agreement signed this week now extends the work between state and federal agencies through 2032,” he said.
The three state and federal land management agencies are taking aim at the most pressing issues facing Oregon’s forests. At the top of the list is the over 7 million acres of federal forest in declining health and at elevated risk of large and destructive wildfire. Climate change mitigation and adaptation, wildlife species recovery, habitat connectivity, producing sustainable forest products, and supporting jobs are also issues the GNA agreement can help address.
This GNA agreement allows the Forest Service to take advantage of the additional capacity provided by ODF and ODFW, access streamlined state contracting processes, and leverage state funding dedicated to restoring federal forests.
Despite the GNA agreement allowing states to help improve the health of federal forests, all applicable federal laws and environmental reviews are followed. Decision-making authority still rests with the Forest Service for restoration work.
In addition to the strong partnerships, the success of this work is also due to the Oregon Legislature’s forward-thinking investments in the Federal Forest Restoration Program. Under this program, state funds support forest collaboratives, environmental planning and analysis, and a state workforce dedicated to increasing the pace, scale and quality of restoration of federal forests.
