The southwest forest health and wildfire prevention act (public law 108-317) established three university-based southwest ecological restoration institutes in arizona, new mexico, and colorado

Northern Arizona University received a $1.0 million Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service under the Southwest Forest Health and Wildfire Prevention program (CFDA 10.694), awarded August 4, 2025, with performance through December 31, 2026. As one of three congressionally designated Southwest Ecological Restoration Institutes, NAU will develop, conduct research on, and transfer restoration-based hazardous fuel reduction treatments designed to reduce severe wildfire risk and improve the health of dry forest and woodland ecosystems across the Interior West. The institute will synthesize and adapt scientific findings from conventional research to implement landscape-scale treatments using adaptive management frameworks and assist affected forest land managers and partner entities with treatment design and monitoring approaches.

Additionally, NAU will translate and transfer scientific and interdisciplinary knowledge regarding hazardous fuel reduction treatments to stakeholder entities throughout the region and provide peer-reviewed annual reports documenting restoration activities and outcomes. These activities fulfill the congressionally mandated mission of the Southwest Ecological Restoration Institutes to foster sustainable, fire-resilient forests that deliver timber and other benefits to both communities and natural ecosystems.

This mission essential agreement is required for the cooperator to CO-develop, translate, and apply actionable knowledge in collaboration with forest land managers and partners to foster sustainable fire-resilient forests for timber and other benefits for communities and nature, now and into the future. As specified by the act, the duties of the southwest ecological restoration institutes are to: 1) develop, conduct research on, transfer, promote, and monitor restoration-based hazardous fuel reduction treatments to reduce the risk of severe wildfires to vulnerable communities and improve the health of dry forest and woodland ecosystems in the interior west; 2) synthesize and adapt scientific findings from conventional research to implement restoration-based hazardous fuel reduction treatments on a landscape scale using a more modern and efficient adaptive management framework; 3) translate for and transfer to affected entities any scientific and interdisciplinary knowledge about hazardous fuel reduction treatments; 4) assist affected entities with the design of adaptive management approaches (including monitoring) for the implementation of reducing wildfire risk; and 5) provide peer-reviewed annual reports.