The primary focus of this initiative is to enhance the public's knowledge of improved forest management, primarily focusing on invasive species control, by building on a newly implemented management…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Region 9 (Eastern Region), awarded West Virginia University Research Corporation a $851,740 Project Grant on September 15, 2025, under the Cooperative Forestry Assistance program (CFDA 10.664). The award supports a landscape-scale restoration initiative focused on enhancing public knowledge of improved forest management practices, with primary emphasis on invasive species control on West Virginia's state-managed forests. The project builds upon a newly implemented management partnership and will deliver comprehensive educational and management opportunities to diverse forest stakeholders, including public agencies, private landowners, non-profit organizations, and forest industry professionals throughout the state. The performance period extends through June 30, 2027.

Implementation of the initiative involves collaboration with multiple sub-awardees, including the West Virginia Division of Forestry (prime state forestry agency partner awarded February 23, 2026), Growing Seasons Landscaping LLC (awarded February 10, 2026), and Summit Forestry Group, Inc. (awarded January 29, 2026). These sub-awardees will support on-the-ground landscape restoration activities and invasive species management demonstrations using West Virginia state forests as implementation examples. This collaborative structure leverages the expertise of the state forestry agency, specialized contractors, and forestry professionals to deliver measurable outcomes in forest health and invasive species mitigation while building capacity among private landowners and rural communities dependent on healthy forest resources.

The primary focus of this initiative is to enhance the public's knowledge of improved forest management, primarily focusing on invasive species control, by building on a newly implemented management partnership initiated on west virginia's state-managed forests. This project will expand upon the comprehensive statewide framework by delivering educational and management opportunities to forest stakeholders, including public agencies, private landowners, non-profit organizations, and professionals within the forest industry.