Fuels Reduction/ Forest Restoration

This forest stand was thinned to create a less fire prone landscape.
Thinning dense forests (photo, left) and removing hazardous “ladder fuels” from beneath the trees (photo, right) helps forests better withstand catastrophic wildfires.

Forest Fuels Reduction

Thinning of dense forests and removal of ladder fuels (ground vegetation that allows a fire to spread into the tree canopy). 

Cost share: NFS reimburses the landowner up to 75 percent of the costs (per-acre caps apply) for tree removal, piling and pile-burning (if necessary); remainder paid by landowner.

Eligible Locations: Pine Ridge, Niobrara Valley and Wildcat Hills
Eligible Applications: State and private forest landowners 

Redcedar Forest Management 

NOTE: NFS cost share CANNOT be used to remove all tree vegetation from a site. A forest stand with cedar crop trees must remain after management.

 Cost share: NFS reimburses the landowner up to 75 percent of the costs (per-acre caps apply) for redcedar forest management, including tree removal, piling and pile disposal; remainder paid by landowner. 

Eligible Locations: Statewide (outside of the Pine Ridge, Niobrara Valley and Wildcat Hills)
 Eligible Applicants: State and private forest landowners

Burned Land Fuels Reduction Grants

Thinning burned forests by removing dead or damaged trees on lands that have experienced wildfire.

Cost share: NFS reimburses the landowner up to 75 percent of the costs (per-acre caps apply) for tree removal, piling and burning (if necessary) on forest lands burned by wildfire; remainder paid by landowner.

Eligible Locations: Pine Ridge and Niobrara Valley
Eligible Applicants: State and private forest landowners 

Forest Restoration Grants

On burned lands, activities that stabilize, restore and replant forest areas around “islands” of unharmed trees. Activities include removal of dead and damaged trees, erosion control, tree planting and broadcast seeding, weed control, animal damage control, and fencing. 

 Cost share: NFS reimburses the landowner up to 75 percent of the costs (per-acre caps apply); remainder paid by landowner.

Eligible Locations: Burned forest lands statewide
Eligible Applicants: State and private forest landowners 

Firewise Defensible Space Grants

Removal of flammable trees and shrubs to create “defensible space” around homes or other buildings.

 Cost share: NFS reimburses the landowner up to 75 percent of the costs (per-acre caps apply); remainder paid by landowner.

Eligible Locations: Statewide
Eligible Applicants: State and private forest landowners 

Hazardous Fuels Reduction

Thinning of dense forests and removal of ladder fuels (ground vegetation that allows a fire to spread into the tree canopy) from private or state land adjacent to United States Forest Service (USFS) property. 

Cost share: NFS reimburses the landowner up to 100 percent of the costs for tree removal, piling and burning (if necessary). No landowner cost on eligible properties.

Eligible Locations: Must be adjacent to USFS property in the Pine Ridge
Eligible Applicants: State and private forest landowners