Project Grant 26DG11094200032

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Region 9 (Eastern Region), awarded $498,367 to the West Virginia Division of Forestry on June 2, 2026, under the Cooperative Forestry Assistance program (CFDA 10.664). This five-year project grant, with an ultimate completion date of May 26, 2031, supports forest health management and wildfire preparedness initiatives aligned with West Virginia's State Forest Action Plan. Primary deliverables include state fire assistance activities focused on maintaining communication systems and firefighting equipment, training personnel, supporting wildfire suppression and investigation efforts, conducting community outreach, and developing community wildfire protection plans. The awardee will also implement Forest Stewardship Program activities providing on-the-ground forestry assistance, education, and management plan development to private landowners statewide.

Expected outcomes include improved emergency response capacity, enhanced public awareness, and reduced wildfire risk across hundreds of West Virginia communities and at-risk areas. The multi-year structure accommodates the coordination requirements with local partners and the seasonal nature of forestry and fire management activities. Benefits extend to the Monongahela National Forest, private forest landowners, natural resource professionals, and the general public through healthier, more sustainably managed forest landscapes and strengthened state forest management capacity.