Stewardship Contracting

Headlines Healthy Forests Stewardship Contracting Projects Map NEW! Integrated Resource Contracts & Agreements Collaboration Links and Lessons Stewardship Contracting Success Stories

Over the past two decades, the federal timber sale program has declined. As a result, funds for stewardship projects have also declined. Limited appropriations from Congress and limited monies within existing trust funds further reduce the available resources. However, the need for restorative or maintenance work in ecosystems remains. These projects include: watershed restoration and maintenance, road obliteration for sediment control, wildlife habitat improvements, fuel load reductions, timber stand improvements, and insect/disease protection.

To accomplish the Forest Service's stewardship responsibilities, creative approaches are needed to complete the necessary work and simultaneously contribute to the economic growth of local, rural communities. "Land Stewardship Contracting" is a solution to this problem. Land stewardship contracting includes natural resource management practices seeking to promote a closer working relationship with local communities in a broad range of activities that improve land conditions, consistent with a community's ecological, social, and economic objectives. These projects shift the focus of federal forest and rangeland management towards a desired future resource condition, rather than meeting targets or a predetermined schedule of resource outputs. They are also a means for federal agencies to contribute to the development of sustainable rural communities, restore and maintain healthy forest ecosystems, and provide a continuing source of local income and employment.

Congress authorized the Forest Service in 1999 to implement up to 28 stewardship contracting pilot projects on a demonstration basis. Congress extended this authority in 2003 to the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for a period of 10 years.

• Under the New Authority
• Pilot Projects
• Healthy Forests Stewardship Contracting Projects Map
• Stewardship Contracting Direction
• Integrated Resource Contracts and Agreements
• Collaboration

Contacts

• Stewardship Contracting Contacts - National Headquarters and Regional contacts list.