Laura Wagner, Director of Agency Coordination for CWSF and WFLC, has announced she will be departing CWSF/WFLC to join the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region as a Forest Legacy Program Manager. Laura’s last day with CWSF/WFLC will be October 6, 2023. 

During her time at CWSF and WFLC, Laura has filled the positions of Good Neighbor Authority Coordinator and Director of Agency Coordination. Laura has worked diligently to establish committee best practices, improve committee structure, and increase committee engagement. Please join us in congratulating Laura as she prepares for her next adventure in forestry! 

Following Laura’s departure, CWSF/WFLC staff will be filling in to support the various committees. Please see the breakdown below for the new staff contacts: 

• CWSF Forest Health Committee and CWSF Good Neighbor Authority Task Force: Kelsey Delaney
• CWSF Western State Fire Managers (WSFM) Committee: Halie Miyazawa 
• CWSF Western State Fire Business Managers Subcommittee: Halie Miyazawa
• CWSF WSFM Mental Health & Wellness Subcommittee: Leena Visnak
• CWSF Wildland Urban Interface and WFLC Landscape Scale Restoration Grants: Leena Visnak
• WFLC Pacific Islands Forestry Committee: Sara Goodwin
• WFLC Western Urban & Community Forestry Committee, CWSF Forest Stewardship/Landowner Assistance Committee, and CWSF Forest Products Committee: Neil Simpson

For general committee inquiries, please email info@westernforesters.org.  

Registration is now open for the 2023 CWSF/WFLC Fall Meeting. This year’s meeting is November 28-30, 2023, in Waikoloa, Hawai‘i. There are only two days left to take advantage of the early bird discount of $100 off.

Visit our registration page for more details. Please contact Patricia Payne with any questions.

This month’s policy update includes information on three resolutions passed at the NASF Annual Meeting, Good Neighbor Authority, the Farm Bill, the Treating Tribes and Counties as Good Neighbors Act, and the possibility of a government shutdown. 

On August 23, the Western Urban & Community Forestry Committee (WUCF) hosted a virtual informational session to address workforce development in urban and community forestry programs across the West. 

Learn more about the discussion.

Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG) Program

The fiscal year (FY) 2023 CWDG program opened for applications on July 31, 2023, and will close on October 31, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. If interested in applying for this grant, please reach out to your point of contact that is listed in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). For more information and to view the recordings from the applicant webinars, visit the CWSF CWDG webpage or the USDA Forest Service CWDG webpage. 

If you have any CWDG questions, please contact Halie Miyazawa.

Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR) Competitive Grant Program

The FY 2024 LSR Competitive Grant process opened for applications on August 21, 2023, and will close on November 17, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time. A recording of our applicant webinar, as well as other tools on how to apply, can be found on our WFLC LSR webpage.

If you have any LSR questions, please contact Leena Visnak. 

Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Grant Program

The FY 2024 WUI application process will open on October 12, 2023, and close on January 18, 2024. The FY 2023 recommendation letter is publicly available to view on our website. For more information, visit the CWSF WUI webpage.

If you have any WUI questions, please contact Leena Visnak. 

Kelly Norris

This month, we are pleased to feature Kelly Norris, State Forester for the Wyoming State Forestry Division.

We invite you to meet Kelly!

Looking for a job opportunity in forestry? Find your next position in western forestry on the CWSF job blog.

If you would like to submit a job posting, please contact Patricia Payne. 

See the calendar of meetings and events hosted by CWSF/WFLC and partner organizations.