Forest Health Protection

To assist State Foresters, State Agriculture or Plant Regulatory Officials, equivalent State officials, or other official representatives, subdivisions of states, agencies, institutions (public and private), organizations (profit or nonprofit), and individuals on non-Federal lands. Activities include: conducting surveys to detect and assess insect, disease, invasive plant and other stressors; monitoring and reporting on the health of forests and trees; recommending measures to prevent, retard, slow the spread, control, suppress or eradicate incipient, potential, threatening or emergency forest and tree pests; planning, organizing, directing, and performing such measures; providing technical and scientific information, advice, and related assistance; developing applied methods and technology to improve management of forest health; providing information on pesticides and their use; promoting implementation of appropriate silvicultural or management techniques to improve forest health; and taking other actions deemed necessary to accomplish the objectives and purposes of the Forest Health Protection program. Assistance to tribal lands held in trust by the United States Government is provided directly by the Forest Service, and thus are not included in this cooperative program. However, other tribal lands, such as Alaska Native Corporation Lands, that are not held in trust are included.

State Forestry, State Agriculture or equivalent State agencies, subdivisions of states, Alaska native corporations and tribal governments (for lands not held in trust), institutions (public and private), organizations (profit and non-profit), and municipalities are eligible. All States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and the territories and possessions of the United States are eligible.

All grants and cooperative agreements are approved on the basis of negotiated targets, project objectives to be achieved, and relationship to national and regional forest health issues, priorities, and needs.

Applicant matching for cooperative Forest Health Protection programs and projects that treat specific forest health problems on non-federal lands is required and is 50%. In cases where it is mutually agreed upon that an applicant will treat federal lands as part of a cooperative project or program, the Forest Service reimbursement is 100% for the federal portion. However, applicant matching rates may be adjusted in emergency or extraordinary situations. Forest Service cost-share rates for activities involving development of new and improved forest health protection methods and technologies, and the conduct of special projects and evaluations are negotiated on a project-by-project basis with the grantee. Exceptions from the 50% cost-share requirement must be approved by the Deputy Chief for State, Private and Tribal Private Forestry. The applicant share of cooperative programs may be...

Fiscal year 2025: This award will provide long-term and self-sustaining management of multiple invasive species across forests and grasslands through the use of biocontrol. Project activities include mass rearing 5 biocontrol agents for controlling priority invasive plants and shipping to focus areas in the US, information transfer through the production of resources for the public and land managers, public engagement through information sharing opportunities, and capacity building by training the next generation of specialists who will apply their skills in the U.S.