Stewardship of maines forests

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service awarded a $5,000,000 Project Grant to the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry (DACF) under the Inflation Reduction Act Landscape Scale Restoration program (CFDA 10.731). This grant supports climate mitigation and forest resilience practices for non-industrial private forest landowners in Maine.

Key activities funded under this award include providing cost-share, technical assistance, outreach, and education to help landowners participate in environmental markets such as carbon offset and ecosystem services programs. The grant aims to increase climate change adaptation, support forest health, and facilitate market access for underserved and historically marginalized landowners. DACF will collaborate with sub-recipients like the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Maine Conservation Corps, and local municipalities to execute these forestry and environmental stewardship initiatives across the state. The performance period for this grant is from January 17, 2025 through September 30, 2029.