This project is a partnership between the oregon department of forestry (ODF) and the bureau of land management (BLM) in the grants pass unit

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) awarded a $408,000 Cooperative Agreement to the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) under the Good Neighbor Authority (CFDA 15.015) program, effective September 24, 2025, through September 23, 2030. This partnership between ODF and the BLM's Grants Pass Unit focuses on forest restoration and wildfire risk reduction on BLM-managed lands in Oregon. ODF will provide six trained forestry technicians and one forester to work up to seven months annually, delivering services across three primary categories: (1) fuels reduction activities including brush and small tree clearing across up to 1,500 acres with piling and inspections; (2) silviculture work involving reforestation checks and monitoring on up to 2,000 acres of planting areas; and (3) timber management including tree marking for thinning, timber stand exams, and boundary setting across up to 1,500 acres.

The anticipated deliverables include thousands of acres of completed forest work, improved forest health and wildfire resilience, support for local forestry and fire management employment, and enhanced interagency coordination between ODF and BLM. The intended beneficiaries span local communities seeking safer forests and employment opportunities, the timber industry workforce, wildlife and fisheries dependent on healthy forest ecosystems, the general public benefiting from reduced wildfire risk and environmental quality improvements, and the federal and state agencies strengthening their partnership and workforce capacity for long-term forest restoration initiatives.

Activities

ODF will provide six trained forestry technicians and one forester to work on BLM lands for up to seven months each year. Their work will include:1) fuels reduction: clearing brush and small trees to lower wildfire risk 2) silviculture: checking tree planting areas to make sure new forests are growing well and 3) timber work: marking trees for thinning, setting boundaries for timber sales, and doing stand exam. The exact tasks will be decided each year by ODF and BLM, but may include:up to 2,000 acres of planting inspections 1,500 acres of timber stand exams and tree marking 1,500 acres of fuels work, including piling and inspections. Expected deliverables: thousands of acres of forest work completed, including fuels reduction, reforestation checks, and timber preparation increased forest health and wildfire resilience support for local jobs in forestry and fire management and improved coordination between ODF and BLM for better land management.

Intended beneficiaries

Local communities, who benefit from safer forests and more jobs the timber industry, including mill workers, loggers, and builders wildlife and fish, who rely on healthy forests and clean water the public, who enjoy better recreation, cleaner air and water, and reduced wildfire risk and ODF and BLM, who gain stronger partnerships and more skilled workers for forest restoration.