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 2024, South Dakota
Authored by Amanda Morrison
In July 2023, the South Dakota GNA Forester agreement was signed to allow foresters to aid with and execute forest restoration and resiliency projects in the Black Hills National Forest. This Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) agreement between the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Black Hills National Forest utilizes Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding.
The Black Hills LiDAR project was the first project completed under the agreement. Activities included the collection of field data on nearly 1,700 10th-acre fixed plots. South Dakota was one of many partners that assisted in the data collection, which began in July 2023 and concluded in January 2024. Other partners include the Wyoming State Forestry Division and the Pennington County Natural Resource Division.
This data and the resulting LiDAR outputs will aid in the Black Hills National Forest Plan Revision process by providing valuable information for better planning and implementation of forest management and restoration activities. By ensuring appropriate and necessary treatments are utilized, the health and resiliency of the forest will be improved.
For more information, contact Amanda Morrison, Natural Resource Planner, at Amanda.morrison@state.sd.us or (605) 394-2279.
GNA Information and Resources
CWSF/WFLC Resources
- Council of Western State Foresters (CWSF) GNA Committee
- Western State Forestry Agencies Good Neighbor Authority Activities and Accomplishments - CWSF staff and the GNA Committee partnered to develop a western synthesis of GNA activities and accomplishments across 13 state forestry agencies from the time each state began implementing GNA through the end of state fiscal year 2023.
- 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:
- 2024: January (CO)
- 2023: March (CO), August (OR), October (NM), November (ID)
- 2022: January (Region 2), March (MT), May (NM), July (AZ), September (WA), December (ND)
- 2021: February (WY), May (NE), August (Region 5), October (AK)
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
- Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 - BLM road reconstruction (Title IV General Provisions, Sec. 439 (pg 374))
USDA Forest Service/BLM Implementation Tools and Resources
- USDA Forest Service invests $20M to restore forests, reduce wildfire risk, and create jobs in 18 states
- 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
- Idaho
- Montana
- Oregon - January 2022 Report, December 2022 Update, January 2024 Update
- Washington - Fall 2021 Update, 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.