$1M earmarked for North Idaho forests

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Northern Region said Tuesday it is investing $1 million to expand work with the Idaho Department of Lands to reduce wildfire risk and improve forest health through the Good Neighbor Authority.

The investments will fund projects on the Idaho Panhandle National Forest while also providing funding for IDL staffing.

The funds will support about 3,000 acres of fuels reduction work administered by IDL such as fuel breaks and vegetation treatments to improve forest health, a press release said. 

The funds will also expand road repairs to improve watershed conditions and provide access for wildfire management and implementation of project activities.

“Our strong partnership with IDL through the Good Neighbor Authority program is an important component in restoring National Forest System lands in Idaho,” said Deputy Regional Forester Tim Garcia. 

The additional investment in GNA expands forest management capacity to help meet Shared Stewardship goals, the release said.

Through coordination with private landowners to define and implement cross-boundary projects, Shared Stewardship aims to reduce wildfire risk and improve forest health, doubling the number of acres treated on National Forest System lands in Idaho by 2025.

State and federal officials are working with diverse interest groups through partnerships and forest collaborative groups to prioritize areas for treatment, improve coordination with adjacent forestland owners and better leverage limited resources.

Work is underway throughout 621,400 acres of Forest Service land within a 2-million-acre landscape in the Idaho Panhandle which was jointly prioritized for fuels reduction and forest restoration activities.

“These funds will expand the work IDL is able to do on federal ground to better protect our communities,” said Idaho State Forester Craig Foss.

He said much of the current GNA work is within the Wildland Urban Interface, where homes and forestland meet. 

“This work is vital to help decrease the risk of catastrophic wildfire to adjacent forests, homes and nearby towns,” Foss said.