This grants objective is to promote american prosperity and competitiveness of the U.S. Forestry sector by strengthening the application of forest monitoring tools and methodologies

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service awarded a $1.62 million Project Grant on September 30, 2025, under the International Forestry Programs (CFDA 10.684) to the Forest Service International Foundation to strengthen forest monitoring capabilities and combat illegal logging and associated trade. The two-year project, concluding September 30, 2027, will develop and deploy advanced forest monitoring tools and methodologies, including artificial intelligence-driven analytics for forest change detection. The award supports enhanced forest data accessibility and reliability while promoting U.S. forestry sector competitiveness and addressing national security concerns related to timber imports, in alignment with Executive Orders 14225 and 14223 and USDA Secretary's Memorandum 1078-006.

The deliverables include the execution of technical consultant services and funding for two subawards focused on data analysis and tool development. The forest monitoring tools and methodologies developed will be openly accessible to users across key partner countries, extending U.S. technical leadership in forest monitoring innovation globally. Additionally, the project facilitates knowledge-sharing and coordination among forest monitoring professionals and data users to support improved forest productivity, reduced illegal logging activities, and a level playing field for U.S. forest businesses.

These activities will also make america safer by combating forest crimes and illegal logging and associated trade (ilat) linked to transnational criminal groups. A portion of the work advances AI-driven analytics to streamline forest change detection, integrating these capabilities into operational tools. IT will also facilitate the exchange of standards, coordination, and knowledge-sharing among forest monitoring professionals and data users to aid the objectives. The united states. Forest service (USFS) is mandated to monitor forested lands and forest resources as a part of its mission to sustain the health and productivity of americas forests. This grant supports several recent executive orders (EOS), including EO 14225 immediate expansion of american timber production, EO 14223 addressing the threat to national security from imports of timber, lumber, and USDA secretarys memo (SM) 1078-006 increasing timber production and designating an emergency situation on national forest system lands. Specifically, this award will support improved forest productivity, reduced illegal logging, and ensuring a level playing field for U.S. Businesses. The award enables USFS to improve the reliability and accessibility of forest data and best practices for reducing cost and utilizing latest technology. The award will inform sound investment for forest value chains vital to U.S. Industry and will promote U.S. Leadership in forest monitoring innovation. The forest monitoring tools and methodologies developed will extend the reach and impact of U.S. Technical leadership by being openly accessible to a broad range of users across key partner countries. Specifically, the funding from this award will fund the execution of technical consultants and two subawards in the data analysis and tool development noted above. Further, USFS funding will also cover various communication facets in the dissemination of findings from the award work including journal publishing fees. Lastly, forest service international foundation (fsif) personnel costs will be covered by this award for overall program management.