Forest landowner support for growing virginias resilient forests

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service has awarded a $3,500,000 Project Grant under the Inflation Reduction Act Landscape Scale Restoration program (CFDA 10.731) to the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDoF), a division of the Commonwealth of Virginia Department. This 5-year grant, with a start date of January 8, 2025 and an ultimate completion date of January 7, 2030, will support climate mitigation and forest resilience initiatives for non-industrial private forest landowners across Virginia.

The funding will enable VDoF to provide cost-sharing, technical assistance, outreach, and education to help landowners participate in emerging environmental markets such as carbon offset and ecosystem services programs. Key objectives include increasing climate change adaptation, supporting forest health, and facilitating market access for underserved and historically marginalized landowners. VDoF will collaborate with sub-recipients like local governments, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and regional planning commissions to effectively implement these federal grant-funded programs across the Commonwealth.