Half a Century Since the Clean Water Act Amendments: The Success Story of Forestry Best Management Practices in the Southeast is a blog post by: Southern Group of State Foresters- https://southernforests.org/
 
https://southernforests.org/news-events/southern-perspective/half-a-century-since-the-clean-water-act-amendments-the-success-story-of-forestry-best-management-practices-in-the-southeast/

USDA is asking for public input through a Federal Register request for information on implementation of more than $19 billion provided by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will use the investments provided through IRA-funded conservation programs to support farmers and ranchers in adopting and expanding climate-smart activities and systems. NRCS asks for comments on how to target program benefits, quantify impact, and improve program delivery and outreach, especially for underserved producers. Comments are due December 22. Learn more and submit comments. Read More Also see information previously posted 8/13/22 here. 

This legislation is expected to have many favorable impacts for sustainable forestry practices. We have compiled statements from three major organizations here:
1. National Alliance of Forest Owners (NAFO) also has a statement: https://nafoalliance.org/inflation-reduction-act-of-2022-statement-from-nafo/
2. The American Forest Foundation (AFF) notes the following “…specific provisions for family forest owners: 

• $400 million in competitive grants and cost share to support underserved forest landowners or those who own less than 2,500 acres in forest resilience activities and climate mitigation markets.
• $50 million for competitive grants to owners of private forest land for implementation of forestry practices to increase carbon sequestration and storage.
• $8.45 billion for Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to improve soil carbon or reduce nitrogen losses or greenhouse gas emissions, or capture or sequester greenhouse gas emissions
• $100 million for the Wood Innovation Grant Program to support solutions that utilize forestry residue for innovative end uses.
• $1.8 billion for the National Forest System to support wildfire risk-reducing activities within the wildland-urban interface including eligible biomass removal."

3. National Woodland Owners Association (NWOA) notes aspects that “…have special relevance to forestry…

• Forest Conservation: $700 Million for the USFS Forest Legacy Program
• Climate-smart Forestry: $450 Million to USFS for forest carbon incentives to private landowners
• Conservation Programs: $20 Billion to “Climate-Smart Agriculture” via NRCS programs that in many cases include tree and forest-related practices (e.g., RCPP)
• Wildfire Resilience and Ecosystem Restoration: $2.1 Billion for activities on national forests; $250 Million for BLM and NPS; $121 Million for USFWS and State F&W
• Science, Data and Innovation: $100 Million for USFS Wood Innovation and $50 Million for USFS inventory of old growth and mature forests on national forest system lands
• Urban Forests: $1.5 Billion for grants to cities and non-profits through USFS Urban and Community Forestry, with an additional $4 Billion to DOT and EPA climate justice programs that can and likely will provide substantial additional funding for urban forestry activities.”