SUBLETTE COUNTY, WYO – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will invest nearly $32 million in FY2018 to mitigate wildfire risk, improve water quality and restore healthy forest ecosystems in 24 states and Puerto Rico. Since 2014, USDA has invested $176 million in 56 Joint Chiefs’ Landscape Restoration Partnership Projects, which focus on areas where public forests and grasslands intersect with privately-owned lands.
This year’s dollar amount remains consistent with previous years. USDA budgeted $32M in 2017, and $33M in 2016. Projects this year are expected to restore healthy forests on private and public lands in 24 states.
“Through Joint Chiefs, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) works with agricultural producers and forest landowners to improve forest health using available Farm Bill conservation programs, and the Forest Service enhances forest health on public lands — stitching together a larger footprint of healthy ecosystems in priority areas,” said Leonard Jordan, acting NRCS chief.
This year the Joint Chiefs’ partner USDA agencies are providing $2.9 million to fund seven new projects and $29 million to support 21 ongoing partnership projects. Federal, state, and local partners will bring an additional $12 million through financial and in-kind contributions over three years to implement the newly added projects. These contribute to jobs and economic benefits that sustain rural communities.
“Wildfires are a serious and on-going threat to forests and communities alike, as we’ve seen in northern and southern California this year,” said Forest Service Chief Tony Tooke. “Through these Joint Chiefs’ projects, USDA will be working with local partners in high-risk project areas to control invasive species, install fire breaks and implement other targeted forest management practices to help mitigate the risk of wide-spread wildfires.”
Along with mitigating fire risk, Joint Chiefs’ projects work to improve water quality by restoring healthy forests and grasslands. For example, one of the new 2018 projects, Sublette County Forest Collaborative*: Working Together for Forest Health, specifically addresses protecting the sole drinking water source of Pinedale, Wyoming, near the Bridger Teton National Forest. The project area includes lands managed by the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, State of Wyoming and private landowners in Sublette County, Wyoming. In addition to improving water quality, project goals include providing fire protection for rural residents, restoring aspens, and habitat improvements for mule deer, greater sage-grouse and pronghorn. USDA will invest more than $700,000 in this project in 2018.
*Project Description:
Wyoming – Sublette County Forest Collaborative: Working Together for Forest Health (Bridger Teton National Forest)
The Collaborative aligns with the following Joint Chiefs’ Partnership goals: Wildland Urban Interface/fuel reduction/defensible space to two rural subdivisions and a small community; improving water quality and quantity within two watersheds, one of which encompasses the sole source of drinking water supply for the town of Pinedale; Aspen restoration; habitat improvements benefitting mule deer, pronghorn and the Greater Sage-grouse. The project area includes U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, State of Wyoming and private lands in Sublette County, Wyoming.
Partners Include: Wyoming Game and Fish Divisions of State Forestry, as well as Sublette County Agencies of Sublette Fire, Sublette Weed and Pest; Sublette Conservation District and County Commissioners.
Total FY 2018 Funding – $711,500. NRCS – $367,500; Forest Service – $344,000.
