Forestry-Related Spending Totals $5 Billion in the Inflation Reduction Act

The Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law by President Biden on Tuesday (8-16-22), includes $5.0 billion for forestry—including forest management, planning, and restoration activities for federal and nonfederal forests—according to a summary by the Congressional Research Service (CRS).

The CRS reports that the act contains “$2.15 billion for management of the National Forest System (NFS, administered by the U.S. Forest Service), including funding for hazardous fuel reduction or vegetation management projects on NFS lands, for inventorying and protecting old-growth and mature forests on NFS lands, and for improving environmental reviews.”

The act also has “$2.75 billion to support grants and other financial assistance for nonfederal forest management, including funding for urban and community forestry programs.”

The CRS says these “programs would support climate mitigation activities on nonfederal forests, facilitate participation in forest carbon markets, and support the development and application of innovative wood products. Several of the grant programs would be specifically targeted to support the participation of ‘underserved forest landowners.'”