Earlier this year Usda Secretary of Natural Resources and Environment, Robert Bonnie, announced a federal investment of over $40 million for restoration of forests to Reduce Wildfire Threats, improve wildlife habitat and support local communities according to USDA reporter, Kaveh Sadeghzadeh.

“The health of our forests and our rural communities very often go hand in hand,” Bonnie said. “USDA works with other public and thousands of private Landowners through a range of programs and partnerships to decrease the threat of wildfire, restore forest habitat and increase economic and other opportunities for the families and businesses that make their homes near woodlands.”

Public and private partnerships are estimated to invest over $51 million in 2016.  The U.S. Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service have united for the third year of the Joint Chiefs’ Landscape Restoration Partnership.  Their goal, improve the health and resilience of forest ecosystems where public and private lands meet.

Since its start, $107 million has been invested through USDA’s Joint Chiefs’ Landscape Restoration Partnership to Reduce Wildfire threats to communities and landowners, protect water resources, and improve habitat for at risk species. Summaries of all projects selected can be found on the NRCS website.

Robert Bonnie’s announcement during the Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts unveiled 11 new Joint Chiefs projects totaling $7 million for 2016 with additional committed investments totaling nearly $33 million in 28 projected launched in 2015 and 2015. An additional $11 million in financial, in-kind and technical assistance is planned by local partners. 

According to USDA Kaveh Sadeghzadeh, Bonnie also highlighted several projects that demonstrate the power of this kind of partnership. Bonnie said, “By taking an all-lands, all-hands approach, Forest Service, NRCS, and countless partners are demonstrating that smart, proactive investments to restore forests yield extraordinary benefits for landowners, communities and taxpayers.”

Since 2009, USDA has invested more than $29 billion to help producers make conservation improvements, working with as many as 500,000 farmers, ranchers and landowners to protect over 400 million acres nationwide, boosting soil and air quality, cleaning and conserving water and enhancing wildlife habitat.