WASHINGTON, May 6, 2025—The partners behind the wildfire prevention legend Smokey Bear and his public service advertisement campaign—the longest running in United States history—are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 Smokey Bear Award. The Smokey Bear Awards are reserved for individuals, teams, and organizations that provide outstanding service with significant and sustained program [read more]
The National Association of State Foresters joined over 40 other partner organizations in a letter recommending a funding level of no less than $39.7 million in program dollars for the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program in FY26. The letter was sent to the Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies in both [read more]
Today, a bipartisan group of senators introduced its companion to the Fix our Forests Act (FOFA), reintroduced and quickly passed by the House earlier this year. The FOFA is a significant federal forest management and wildfire package aimed at streamlining critical work required on the National Forest System, as well as implementing a number of [read more]
WASHINGTON, DC.– Recent reports suggesting that certain critical programs –specifically regarding private land ownership and wildland fire management– may be shifted outside of the Forest Service have been a particular source of alarm for State Foresters. Forests are a vastly complex and unique resource that require a dedicated federal agency with the technical expertise currently [read more]
The National Association of State Foresters sent a letter to Lee Zeldin, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, congratulating him on his confirmation and thanking him for his quick attention to some of the most critical regulatory roadblocks to unlocking sustainable forest management and responding to the nationwide threat posed by catastrophic wildfires. Specifically, the [read more]
Washington, D.C. – The National Association of State Foresters (NASF) welcomes Aubrey Bettencourt in her new role as Chief of the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). In this role, Bettencourt leads NRCS staff and conservation programs that provide critical technical and financial assistance to farmers and other private landowners to help them conserve, [read more]
The four cosponsors of the national Wildfire Mitigation Awards have named the individuals and organizations chosen to receive honors this year in recognition of their exemplary commitment to community wildfire risk reduction. WASHINGTON—The Wildfire Mitigation Awards committee has named five recipients chosen to receive 2025 Wildfire Mitigation Awards (WMAs). This year’s WMA recipients come from [read more]
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The nation’s 59 state and territorial foresters welcome Chief Tom Schultz as the 21st Chief of the USDA Forest Service and look forward to working with him to strengthen state-federal partnerships that improve the health and sustainability of America’s forests on all lands. State forestry agencies manage over two-thirds of America’s forestlands by providing [read more]
WASHINGTON, D.C.–The National Association of State Foresters welcomes the well-qualified leadership materializing at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). To maximize public benefits from forests and reduce catastrophic wildfire threats, State Foresters need experienced federal agency leaders who understand the complexities of the issues, the value of strong state-federal partnerships, and the urgency of needed [read more]
WASHINGTON, D.C.–State Foresters applaud the recent enactment of the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act, which contains sweeping measures to improve public land management and outdoor recreation nationwide. The Act’s explicit expansion of the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) will accelerate critical forest management work across boundaries on national, state, tribal and county lands. [read more]
