Agreement expands timber production, forest restoration, wildfire mitigation
Washington, D.C., July 22, 2026 — U.S. Forest Service and the State of New Mexico today signed a next-generation agreement that builds on a successful shared stewardship partnership. The agreement expands opportunities for timber production, new wood uses, landscape restoration, and reducing wildfire risk to communities, ecosystems, and local economies across New Mexico.
"This 20 year commitment strengthens our partnership with New Mexico to increase fuel treatments and protect the watersheds that serve as the state's critical water towers," said Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz. "By aligning federal and state resources across priority firesheds, we will accelerate restoration, expand wood utilization, and reduce wildfire risk across millions of acres that communities depend on for water, wood products, recreation, and jobs."
"This agreement means more boots on the ground in New Mexico doing the hard work of thinning overgrown forests and reducing fuel loads before the next fire season. I appreciate the Forest Service's commitment to this effort." said New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.
The agreement strengthens the 2019 agreement with New Mexico and follows similar shared stewardship agreements. It advances implementation of President Trump's Executive Order 14225, Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production, which allows the Forest Service to authorize states, counties and federally recognized tribes to conduct certain projects on federally managed lands.
Agreements like this are essential to maintaining healthy landscapes, thriving rural economies, safer communities, and resilient infrastructure. The Forest Service is working with states, counties and federally recognized tribes to expand these efforts and deliver lasting benefits for our forests and rural communities.
National forests supply raw materials that support construction and wood energy industries, provide clean water to 180 million Americans, and host millions of visitors every year through world-class recreation opportunities.
