- Details
- By Chez Oxendine
- Economic Development
More support for the forest products economy is on the way across three Forest Service grant programs, with tribes among those eligible to tap into the new funding.
The Department of Agriculture announced up to $34 million in available funding for economic development and jobs in the forest sector. USDA said it seeks projects promoting use of sustainably sourced wood in new products, construction, and as a renewable energy source.
The funding stems from three programs: the Wood Innovations Grant, the Community Wood Grant, and the Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance Grant. All three programs aim to promote and support projects such as new sawmills, renewable energy installations, and manufacturing facilities.
“Sustainably sourcing wood to manufacture products makes our forests healthier and our communities more vibrant,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement. He added that the funding would support sustainable forest management and create jobs in rural areas.
Tribes are eligible for each of the grants, alongside local and state governments, businesses and for-profit entities, institutions of higher education, as well as public utility, fire, conservation, and school districts. Applications for the grants are due Dec. 11, per the Forest Service’s website.
Across the three grant programs, the Forest Service has provided nearly $190 million to 482 projects across the country since 2021. More than $618 million was matched or leveraged from applicants for a total investment of $808 million, per the Forest Service press release. The service pointed to many of the projects’ attempts to expand timber markets, which in turn provide an outlet for sustainably sourced wood and reduce wildfire risks thanks to thinning and other harvesting practices.
The funding announcement follows a recent joint report between the USDA, the Department of the Interior, and the Department of Commerce on ailing forest product economies. The report found that many communities lacked the capacity and infrastructure to fully enter the forest products sector. The problem was doubled for tribes, who faced issues with consultations and co-stewardship agreements that did not go far enough.
The Forest Service’s grant programs may help, but priorTribal Business News reporting points to requests for more consistent year-to-year funding and co-management opportunities.
“If you give me $100,000 one year and a million dollars in the next year, I'll build $100,000 programs because I don’t want to have to send 90% of my staff home in any given year when we have those shortfall years,” said Intertribal Timber Council President Cody Desautel. “Consistent funding has to be a part of this.”
