The idaho forest stewardship program provides technical assistance, education and outreach and plan development to non-industrial private forest landowners

The Idaho Department of Lands received $8,360,414 in federal funding under the Cooperative Forestry Assistance program (CFDA 10.664) administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Region 1 – Northern Region. This Project Grant award, effective September 2, 2025, through August 31, 2030, supports comprehensive forest management and wildfire mitigation activities across Idaho's non-federal forest lands. The grant funds multiple integrated service components including technical assistance and education for non-industrial private forest landowners through Idaho's Forest Stewardship Program; urban and community forestry initiatives designed to improve air and water quality and mitigate stormwater runoff; state fire capacity activities including hiring, training, and equipping interagency firefighters to enhance initial attack capability and firefighter safety; and conservation education reaching both rural and urban communities through partnerships with forestry extension, the Idaho Forest Owners Association, Idaho Forest Products Commission, and other stakeholders.

The grant allocates funding across four primary activity streams: Western State Fire Managers funds for forest condition improvements and implementation of shared stewardship initiatives; Volunteer Fire Capacity funds distributed competitively to train and equip volunteer fire service organizations and rangeland fire protection associations; and program administration and oversight conducted throughout the five-year performance period. The Idaho Department of Lands is distributing sub-awards to implement landscape-level wildfire hazard abatement projects in multiple counties. Sub-awardees include Bannock County for the Cottonwood Valley Restoration Project Phase 3, Latah County for the South Moscow Mountain Fuels Mitigation Phase I Project, Lewis Soil Conservation District for the Kamiah Foothills Fuels Reduction Phase I Project, and Adams County for fuels reduction activities within Adams County—collectively implementing wildfire mitigation activities on non-federal lands to create landscape-scale wildfire hazard reduction.

Insects and diseases cause a great deal of concern to forest managers and landowners throughout idaho. The mission of idaho's urban and community forestry program is to improve air and water quality, mitigate stormwater runoff and erosion, conserve energy, and improve community and human health by increasing the extent, function, and health of urban and community forests in idaho through providing technical, educational, and financial assistance to communities and other partners. Idaho department of lands will use state fire capacity funds to hire, train, and equip interagency firefighters to address critical preparedness needs for firefighter safety and to increase initial attack capability. The western state fire managers' funds will be utilized to improve forest conditions, implement, shared stewardship initiative, activities, educate, provide technical assistance, and for program administration and oversight across grant years. Volunteer fire capacity funds will be allocated through a competitive proposal process. These funds will be used to help train and equip volunteer fire service organizations and rangeland fire protection associations throughout idaho. Conservation education reaches across all land ownerships in both rural and urban settings. The idaho department of lands will utilize the funds to complement and enhance forestry-related educational efforts conducted by forestry extension, idaho forest owners association, idaho forest products commission, idaho state forestry contest, and other partners to reach community leaders, residents and youth throughout idaho.