Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack has released 22-million dollars in funding for Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration projects that promote healthier, safer and more productive public lands through partnership efforts which will reduce wildfire risk, enhance fish and wildlife habitats, and maintain and improve water quality across all lands. The projects are in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says – the best way to improve the health of our nation’s forests is to work across boundaries with an all-lands approach. Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration projects accomplish a variety of U.S. Forest Service priorities including watershed restoration while supporting sustainable and fire-adapted communities through partnerships at the state, local and private level.

The U.S. Forest Service mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land and is the world’s largest forestry research organization.