This grant provides direct assistance to non-federal land managers, producers, private forest landowners, and municipalities to steward their forests, which can result in reduced fire risk, fighting…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service awarded $100,000 to the Watershed Agricultural Council of the New York City Watersheds, Inc. on July 10, 2025, under the Forest Stewardship Program (CFDA 10.678). This project grant, with a completion date of June 30, 2029, provides direct technical and financial assistance to non-federal land managers, private forest landowners, producers, and municipalities across New York to advance sustainable forest stewardship practices.

The funded activities focus on forest health and economic productivity initiatives, including reducing wildfire risk, controlling damaging insects and diseases, supporting timber production, and restoring forest ecosystems within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed region. The awardee will leverage its expertise in forest management and conservation to deliver technical assistance and planning support to eligible landowners and local partners, thereby enhancing both the environmental resilience and economic viability of forest resources in the New York City Watersheds area.

This grant provides direct assistance to non-federal land managers, producers, private forest landowners, and municipalities to steward their forests, which can result in reduced fire risk, fighting damaging insects and diseases, and produce timber. Many of these projects support the state, local government, and nonprofit partners work to restore the forests for the health and productivity of the chesapeake BAY watershed (and others), and in retaining their economic potential.