Below is a news release from the U.S. Forest Service.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and the State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Fire Protection, have signed a groundbreaking 20-year shared stewardship that expands cross‑boundary forest management and strengthens Alaska’s forest products industry.

The agreement represents the largest scale of state-federal collaboration in Alaska's history in terms of acreage and duration and provides a long-term framework to address the unique challenges facing the state's forests and communities.

"This significant agreement outlines our commitment to work together, actively managing the Tongass National Forest to create healthy forests, while contributing to a stable, vibrant rural economy," Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz said. "Together, we will deliver real, measurable results — in part, by enabling the state to implement projects on up to 300,000 acres across the Tongass through Good Neighbor Authority. This will mean more acres treated, more communities protected, more jobs created, and healthier forests for generations to come."

Signed at Forest Service headquarters in Washington D.C., this agreement builds on decades of partnership between the State of Alaska and the Forest Service in fighting fires, managing forest health and supporting timber programs across the state's vast landscape.

The agreement commits both agencies to concrete actions, including developing a timber action plan by the end of 2026 that identifies priority projects on the Tongass National Forest, providing reliable timber offerings and evaluating longer-term contracting options to increase industry confidence.

“As someone who has worked in a logging camp in Southeast Alaska, I know how important having a working forest is to communities in Southeast,” said Gov. Mike Dunleavy. “This is great news for the people of Alaska and will be a lifeline to the blue-collar Alaskan workers in Southeast Alaska who President Biden and previous administrations sought to keep out of work by managing the Tongass as if it were a National Park.”

The partnership encompasses comprehensive forest management priorities including:

• Cross-boundary coordination on fuels reduction and wildfire mitigation
• Response to insect and disease threats
• Infrastructure development and improved access
• Workforce training opportunities
• Investment in modern milling and harvesting technology
• Technical assistance to private and non-federal landowners
• Coordination on wildlife habitat, recreation and authorized development activities

The Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection manages 20 million acres of state lands and provides fire protection across 154 million acres statewide. The Forest Service manages the 5.4-million-acre Chugach National Forest and 16.7-million-acre Tongass National Forest. Together, these lands provide critical resources and economic opportunities for Alaskans while protecting watersheds, wildlife habitat and cultural resources. These coordinated efforts will help sustain rural economies, improve public safety and support long-term community resilience.

This new agreement follows similar shared stewardship agreements with other states including Montana, Idaho, Utah, Georgia and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians. Each reflects USDA's commitment to working across boundaries to improve forest health and strengthen rural communities. More information on shared stewardship is available online.

(Photo credit: U.S. Forest Service)