University of wyoming agricultural experiment station mcintire-stennis cooperative forestry research program abstract

The Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded the University of Wyoming $615,820 on October 1, 2025, under the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research program (CFDA 10.202).

The University of Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station uses this formula grant funding to support fundamental and applied research on forestry, range, natural-resource, and community-resource issues. Research faculty across nine departments—Agricultural & Applied Economics, Animal Science, Botany, Ecosystem Science & Management, Family and Consumer Sciences, Molecular Biology, Plant Sciences, Veterinary Sciences, and Zoology & Physiology—conduct projects addressing federally mandated areas including reforestation and timber production; watershed and forest management for water quality and flood/erosion control; rangeland management for livestock forage and wildlife habitat; outdoor recreation on forest lands; forest protection against fire, insects, disease, and destructive agents; wood and forest product utilization; and sound forest management policy development. The program trains future forestry scientists and engages multiple disciplines in forestry research to address current and future needs of Wyoming, the region, the nation, and the world.

Performance occurs in Laramie, Wyoming. The period of performance runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. McIntire-Stennis funds must be fully expended in the fiscal year of appropriation, though current policy permits up to 50 percent carryover into the next fiscal year, with those carryover funds fully expended by September 30 of that year.

The purpose of mcintire stennis capacity funding is to increase forestry research in the production, utilization, and protection of forestland; to train future forestry scientists; and to involve other disciplines in forestry research. Waes is concerned with finding solutions to contemporary issues affecting wyoming and the region through high-quality research, creative scholarship, responsive service, and statewide engagement, empowering the people of wyoming to make choices that enhance their quality of life. Waes uses mcintire-stennis funding to support fundamental and applied research on forestry, range, natural- and community resource issues related to the current and future needs of wyoming, the region, the nation, and the world. College research faculty in nine departments – agricultural & applied economics, animal science, botany, ecosystem science & management, family and consumer sciences, molecular biology, plant sciences, veterinary sciences, and zoology & physiology – conduct mcintire-stennis projects addressing one or more of the following federally mandated areas: 1) reforestation and management of land for the production of crops of timber and other related products of the forest; 2) management of forest and related watershed lands to improve conditions of water flow and to protect resources against floods and erosion; 3) management of forest and related rangeland for production of forage for domestic livestock and game and improvement of food and habitat for wildlife; 4) management of forest lands for outdoor recreation; 5) protection of forest land and resources against fire, insects, diseases, or other destructive agents; 6) utilization of wood and other forest products; and 7) development of sound policies for the management of forest lands and the harvesting and marketing of forest products; and other studies as necessary to obtain the fullest and most effective use of forest resources. Mcintire-stennis project proposals are submitted to the national institute of food and agriculture (NIFA) for final approval after a rigorous peer review process, and approval by the associate dean and director of the wyoming agricultural experiment station. NIFA-approved mcintire-stennis projects are uploaded into the NIFA reporting system (NRS) where project results are reported on an annual basis and NIFA again reviews and approves these submissions. This multistep peer-review, evaluation, results reporting, and approval process ensures that projects are relevant, methodologically sound, and meet the criteria required for funding under mcintire-stennis guidelines