This agreement provides funding for the cooperator to hire a 6 person timber management strike team and a supervisory forester crew leader

The Department of Agriculture Forest Service R8-Southern Region awarded a Cooperative Agreement worth $750,000 to Cherokee Nation on July 2, 2026, under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Restoration/Revegetation program (CFDA 10.717).

The award funds Cherokee Nation to hire and deploy a six-person timber management strike team and a supervisory forester crew leader to perform timber sale preparation work across the Ozark-St. Francis National Forests, Ouachita National Forest, and adjacent Cherokee Nation Tribal Lands. The team will conduct timber cruising, marking, and timber sale layout; perform common stand exams and forest inventory data collection; write silvicultural prescriptions; and conduct heritage survey work. The Ozark-St. Francis and Ouachita National Forests will train and certify the team in all these technical competencies.

The period of performance runs from July 2, 2026, through September 30, 2031, with place of performance across the specified national forests and tribal lands in the southern region.

This team will perform timber sale preparation work on the ozark-ST. Francis national forests, ouachita national forest, and adjacent cherokee nation tribal lands. Under this agreement the team will be trained and certified to perform timber cruising, marking, and timber sale layout by the ozark-ST. Francis and ouachita national forests. Under this agreement the team will also perform common stand exam and forest inventory data collection and silvicultural prescription writing on the ozark-ST. Francis national forests, ouachita national forest, and adjacent cherokee nation tribal lands. The team would be trained and certified to do this work by the ozark-ST. Francis and ouachita national forest. Under this agreement the team would also perform heritage survey work on the ozark-ST. Francis national forests, ouachita national forest, and adjacent cherokee nation tribal lands. The team would be trained and certified to do this work by the ozark-ST. Francis and ouachita national forests.