Forest Service Eastern Region is Requesting Applications for 2020 Landscape Scale Restoration Grant Program

Release Date: Aug 13, 2019

Contact(s): 414-297-3670

The USDA Forest Service Eastern Region is announcing the annual request for applications for the Fiscal Year 2020 Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR) grant program. The purpose of this competitive grant program is to encourage collaborative, science-based restoration of priority forest landscapes and support for issues identified in State Forest Action Plans for the 20 Northeastern and Midwestern states.

 

Throughout the 20-state Eastern Region, 8 percent of the forests are federally owned, while 92 percent are owned by either the states or over 1.8 million private forest landowners (owning 10 or more acres). Regardless of ownership, forests provide numerous public benefits including filtration for drinking water, habitat for wildlife, timber for wood products and fresh air. Large-scale restoration projects leveraging public and private funds support a shared stewardship model of land management.

 

Since 2016, the Eastern Region‘s LSR program has distributed more than $15 million in grants supporting 74 projects. Funded projects include providing educational opportunities for forest landowners in Massachusetts, increasing resiliency of watersheds in New Jersey, management of tidal wetlands in Maryland, protecting hemlock forests in Michigan, expanding invasive species outreach campaigns in Wisconsin and the support of urban forest initiatives in New York, among many others.

 

Organizations interested in helping states and the Forest Service attain mutual goals should familiarize themselves with the relevant State Forest Action Plan(s) and discuss project ideas with the appropriate state forestry agency. Close coordination with the State Forester(s) is required. Nonprofit organizations, universities, and other partners must submit draft applications to the State Forester(s) in the state(s) where the activity will be conducted for their consideration.

 

All applications for this funding opportunity must be received in Grants.gov by 6 p.m. Eastern Oct. 11, 2019, with additional draft deadlines outlined on the LSR website. State Forest Action Plans can be found here: www.stateforesters.org/forest-action-plans/

 

To learn more about the Landscape Scale Restoration Program and details on how to apply for this grant program, go to the LSR website: www.fs.usda.gov/naspf/working-with-us/grants/landscape-scale-restoration-grants.

 

The Forest Service Eastern Region State and Private Forestry program collaborates with states, other federal agencies, tribes, landowners and other partners to protect, conserve, and manage forests and community trees across the 20 Northeastern and Midwestern states and the District of Columbia through grants and technical assistance.