USDA and Wyoming Sign Shared Stewardship Agreement to Improve Forests and Grasslands

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue joined Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon Tuesday in a virtual ceremony to sign a Shared Stewardship Agreement between USDA’s Forest Service and the State of Wyoming. Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has the details.

According to Governor Gordon’s office, the Shared Stewardship Agreement establishes a framework for federal and state agencies to promote active forest management, improve collaboration, and respond to ecological challenges and natural resource concerns in Wyoming. Secretary Perdue said that the agreement strengthens the already strong partnership between the Forest Service and through Shared Stewardship, Wyoming and the Forest Service will work together to identify landscape-scale priorities and build capacity to improve forest conditions.

Governor Gordon said the importance of our National Forest System lands, to our communities, for water, for businesses like logging and agriculture, and just for general enjoyment cannot be understated. Adding that he applauds the efforts to date, and is genuinely excited to see what can be accomplished in the future.

Under the agreement, the State of Wyoming and USDA will work together on forest and grassland restoration across all land ownerships, with a focus on protecting at-risk communities and watersheds from wildfire. The agreement identifies shared principles and priorities to include joint planning, pooling resources and continued investment in existing partnerships and programs that support collaborative work.