GNA Information and Resources
GNA Information and Resources
Introduction
The Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) is an important partnership tool available to the USDA Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) with the intent to increase the pace and scale of forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration across jurisdictional boundaries.
Permanently enacted in the 2014 Farm Bill and amended in the 2018 Omnibus Appropriations and the 2018 Farm Bill, GNA enables States, Counties, and Indian Tribes to act as an agent of the federal agencies to complete authorized restoration services on federal and non-federal lands.
This webpage provides a repository of informational and educational resources about GNA for western state forestry agencies, federal agencies, and partners.
GNA Spotlight - March 2023, Colorado

Authored by Sam Pankratz, GNA Forestry Program Specialist, Colorado State Forest Service
The White Cloud Fuels Reduction Project funded under the White River National Forest Fuels Projects Good Neighbor Agreement created a Community Protection Zone on federal lands adjacent to communities in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) that have been identified as having an elevated risk of wildfire in Summit County, CO.
The goal of the White Cloud Fuels Reduction Project is to strategically connect, strengthen, and build upon the series of existing fuelbreaks around the Breckenridge and Blue River area while regenerating an old forest. The project will reduce the volume and connectivity of fuels within the project area and reduce wildfire hazards to the adjacent neighborhood and greater Breckenridge, Blue River, and unincorporated southern Summit County communities. The cutting of live and dead trees mimics the ecologically beneficial effects of a fire, which the forest is adapted to, and will reduce fire intensity so firefighters will have a greater opportunity to engage safely in fire suppression activities in the event of a wildland fire.
Partners in this shared stewardship project include the Colorado State Forest Service, USDA Forest Service, Summit County, Town of Blue River, Town of Breckenridge, and the local wood products industry with critical access provided by private landowners.
By working closely with the local wood products industry, trees harvested from the project site will be used locally for dimensional lumber. Without this industry support, the project would have cost approximately $300,000. The capacity in the local wood products industry to utilize the trees helps to cover project costs and support local jobs and markets, while still protecting communities in the WUI and restoring a healthy forest. A thriving wood products industry is integral in completing fuels reduction treatments by reducing project costs and utilizing Colorado’s forest products instead of burning or chipping the wood.
For more information, contact Sam Pankratz.
Photo: Colorado State Forest Service
GNA Information and Resources
CWSF/WFLC Resources
- GNA Frequently Asked Questions
- Developing GNA Agreements
- GNA Learning Series - Collection of recordings from the virtual GNA Learning Series, hosted by the Western Forestry Leadership Coalition (WFLC) in Fall 2020.
- GNA Spotlight - View past project spotlights from western states and regions:
Authorizing Language and Relevant Legislation
- GNA Authorizing Language (16 U.S.C. 2113a)
- Agricultural Act of 2014 - permanent GNA authorizing language
- Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 - roads reconstruction, repair, and restoration language
- Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 - counties & tribes language
- New! Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 - BLM road reconstruction (Title IV General Provisions, Sec. 439 (pg 374))
USDA Forest Service/BLM Implementation Tools and Resources
- New! USDA Forest Service Chief's August 2022 Letter Clarifying Partnership Agreements with Multiple Fund Types
- Good Neighbor Agreement Templates for State Cooperators
- Bureau of Land Management Update and Reissuance of the Good Neighbor Authority Policy Guidance
- USDA Forest Service Chapter 80 Handbook - GNA Guidance - Effective Date: January 4, 2022 (entire section linked here)
- USDA Forest Service Good Neighbor Authority
- USDA Forest Service Region 5 Good Neighbor and Stewardship Agreements
- USDA Forest Service Region 6 Guidance on Procedures Regarding Good Neighbor Authority Projects with Forest Product Removal
- USDA Forest Service Grants & Agreements Ecological Restoration Brochure
- USDA Forest Service Grants & Agreements Decision Tree
State Agency Resources
- Montana
- Oregon - January 2022 Report, New! December 2022 Update
- Washington - Fall 2021 Update, New! Winter 2022 Update
- Wyoming - GNA One Pager, Financial Plan Step-by-Step, Financial Plan Guide for Field Staff, Supplemental Project Agreement (SPA) Guide for Field Staff
Additional Resources
-
National Association of State Foresters - GNA webpage
- National Forest Foundation - A Toolbox of Resources
- Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition - Use of Good Neighbor Authority Across the West (August 2021); Understanding Good Neighbor Authority: Case Studies from Across the West (September 2018)
- Western Governors' Association - Good Neighbor Authority and Disaster Recovery and Restoration - WGA Working Lands Roundtable Session
Contact Information and Submitting a Resource
To learn more about CWSF/WFLC GNA involvement, please contact Kelsey Delaney.
If you wish to submit a suggested resource for inclusion on this page, please complete our Google Form.