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 - Oregon
July 2024 | Authored by Kyle Sullivan-Astor
The Slim Prospect Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) commercial restoration project is the culmination of years of investments and work accomplished by the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), the USDA Forest Service, and many partners in the Rogue Basin of Southwest Oregon. This project is part of the larger Stella Landscape Restoration (Stella) Project on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, covering over 40,000 acres near Prospect, OR. It is intended to thin overstocked stands, introduce prescribed fire, improve terrestrial and aquatic habitat including culturally significant plants, and upgrade and maintain road infrastructure.
The Stella project has been supported by ODF’s Federal Forest Restoration (FFR) Program in various ways through the planning and implementation stages since 2017. Southern Oregon Forest Restoration Collaborative has been a recipient of a forest collaborative grant every biennium since the 2013-15 biennium and has been heavily engaged in the planning and development of the Stella project. The ODF-FFR Program also invested $60,000 in the 2017-19 biennium and $75,000 in 2021 Emergency Board funds for botany and heritage surveys within the Stella project area, allowing for the signed decision to come sooner than expected in 2022.
As of July 2024, the Slim Prospect GNA project, which started in 2023, is approximately 50% complete. It is expected to thin 250 acres, improve or decommission 14.3 miles of road, and generate 2.3 million board feet of small diameter fiber to support jobs in the local community. Revenue generated from this project is planned to be reinvested in the planning and implementation of future restoration projects that achieve the common goals of ODF, the Forest Service, and local partners.
For more information, contact Kyle Sullivan-Astor.
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: Arizona, Colorado, Montana, South Dakota
- 2023: Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Oregon
- 2022: Arizona, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, USDA Forest Service Region 2, Washington
- 2021: Alaska, Nebraska, USDA Forest Service Region 5, Wyoming
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
- Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act - $200 million in GNA funding for USDA Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management
USDA Forest Service/BLM Implementation Tools and Resources
- New! USDA Announces Nearly $66M for Conservation Work with States, Tribes, Private Landowners as Part of Investing in America Agenda
- 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.