The Wyoming State Forestry Division has awarded $3.5 million in support of 22 projects as part of the 2026 Forest Health Grant Program.

The program was introduced with the passage of House Bill 78 during the Wyoming Legislature’s 2026 budget session. WSFD quickly mobilized to create and advertise the program, form an interagency project review committee and notify applicants of their funding status by mid-June to ensure that projects that will benefit Wyoming’s forests are on the ground as soon as possible.

Qualifying projects are those that improve forest health, reduce wildfire risk, improve water quality and yield, and enhance wildlife and livestock habitat. The committee reviewed 31 applications for more than $12.26 million. WSFD awarded $3.5 million in cost share funding to support 22 projects in 13 counties. Funded applications reported $7.45 million in provided match, meaning $10.95 million total will benefit Wyoming’s forests. Funded treatment acreage includes 7,929 federal acres, 1,139 state acres, and 8,261.3 private acres.

“Active forest management is the best tool Wyoming’s land managers have for protecting our forests from forest health threats including insects, disease, and wildfire,” said Harrison Brookes, WSFD Forest Health Program Manager. “Through collaboration with our partners we maximize our capacity and impact to protect our forests while improving wildlife habitat, enhancing water quality and quantity and increasing future forest production.”

Awardees, by county, include:

Albany County

• Belle-Otte Ranch Forestry Management, Laramie Rivers Conservation District, $50,000

Big Horn County

• Dry Creek Fuels Reduction & Habitat Enhancement, Big Horn County Weed & Pest District, $170,000

Big Horn and Sheridan counties

• Bighorn National Forest Mesic & Aspen Habitat Enhancement, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, $230,000

Campbell County

• Northern Campbell County Forest Health Initiative, Campbell County CD, $97,335

• Trail Creek Conifer Removal & Thinning WSF, WY Game and Fish, $250,000

Carbon County

• Double 8 & McKee Ranch Forestry Rehabilitation Project, Medicine Bow CD, $158,000

• Encampment Watershed Fuels Reduction, National Forest Foundation, $300,000

• Little Snake River Valley & Headwaters Conservation Project in the Headwaters of the Colorado River Initiative Area, Little Snake River CD, $300,000

• Sandstone West GNA, National Forest Foundation, $250,000

• Savery Fuels & Wildlife Project, Mule Deer Foundation, $175,000

• Woodedge Wyoming, Medicine Bow CD, $50,000

Converse County

• Esterbrook Ponderosa Pine Regeneration Thinning, Converse County Firewise, $50,000

• North Laramie Range Aspen Enhancement & Conifer Treatment, WY Game and Fish, $135,000

Crook County

• NE Wyoming Forest Health & Wildfire Reduction Initiative, Crook County Natural Resource District, $300,000

Fremont County

• Wind River Wildlife Risk Reduction & Forest Health, USFS – Shoshone National Forest, $150,000

Lincoln County

• Southwest Middle Ridge Habitat Restoration Project, Star Valley CD, $300,000

Park County

• Heart Mountain Fuel Break & Habitat Enhancement, The Nature Conservancy, $63,000

• Rattlesnake Mountain Timber Stand Improvement, Cody CD, $90,000

• Upper South Fork Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Project, WY Game and Fish, $103,292

Platte County

• Platte County Forest Management, WY Game and Fish, $150,000

Sweetwater County

• Red Creek Juniper Removal, WY Game and Fish, $113,373

Sublette County

• Boulder Lake Estates Community Wildfire Risk Reduction, Sublette County Unified Fire, $15,000