Under this agreement, the state will be responsible for preparing, establishing, and/or conducting disaster recovery and restoration activities, adhering to state and federal procedures, on national…

The U.S. Forest Service, Southern Region (Region 8) awarded a $290.4 million Cooperative Agreement to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) under the Good Neighbor Authority (CFDA 10.691) effective September 16, 2025, through September 15, 2035. Under this 10-year agreement, NCWRC will prepare, establish, and conduct disaster recovery and restoration activities on National Forest System lands within the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests in North Carolina, with the discretion to extend restoration work to state and private lands within the same watersheds when activities deliver shared management objectives or clear conservation benefits to National Forest resources.

NCWRC will deliver comprehensive restoration and recovery services designed to reduce public health and safety risks, support local economies, and restore recreational access. Project deliverables include infrastructure restoration, fish and wildlife habitat protection and enhancement, and restoration of shared natural resources across the affected watersheds. All major federal actions will comply with applicable federal laws, regulations, and environmental review requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act. This agreement represents a collaborative partnership between the Forest Service and the State of North Carolina to increase the pace and scale of forest and watershed restoration while generating recreational opportunities within the region.

Under this agreement, the state will be responsible for preparing, establishing, and/or conducting disaster recovery and restoration activities, adhering to state and federal procedures, on national forest system lands within the pisgah and nantahala national forests. Through this agreement, disaster recovery and restoration activities may also occur on state and private lands within the same watersheds as the national forests when there is a shared management objective and/or a clear benefit to the conservation and management of the resources within the national forests. Any major federal action (defined in the 2023 fiscal responsibility act that amended national environmental policy act) will adhere to necessary federal laws, regulations, and policies. The purpose of this agreement will be to reduce risk to public health and safety, benefit local economies, and restore recreational access and opportunities. To achieve these goals the forest service and state will partner to plan and implement projects that restore infrastructure and protect, restore, and enhance fish and wildlife habitat and other shared resources.