Nebraska’s trees and forests are experiencing steady declines, according to recent data released by the U.S. Forest Service. However, a newly formed partnership to reverse this trend has gained significant momentum with the announcement of a $4.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The Nebraska Forest Restoration Partnership brings together the Nebraska Forest Service, the state’s Natural Resources Districts and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission to address declines in the state’s forests and windbreaks. Using the award, partners will work directly with landowners to increase the scale and pace of forest restoration statewide. This includes planting 1.5 million trees, providing new management of 30,000 acres of declining forests, increasing the health and resiliency of 7,000 acres of vulnerable forests and restoring 250 linear miles of agricultural windbreaks.
Funds from the award will be available for qualifying landowners as early as spring 2021.
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