Proven Forest Management Act of 2025
The Proven Forest Management Act of 2025 would direct the Secretary concerned (primarily the Secretary of Agriculture for National Forest System land, and the Secretary of the Interior for public lands) to coordinate with impacted parties when carrying out forest management activities. The bill aims to ensure such activities deliver multiple ecosystem benefits—like reducing wildfire fuels, preserving biodiversity, improving water quality in wetlands and Stream Environment Zones, and building resilience to changes in water temperature and precipitation—unless costs are determined to be excessive. It also creates post-project ground-condition monitoring, offers a partial NEPA categorical exclusion for small-scale fuel-reduction projects if they are coordinated with local governments and other stakeholders and are consistent with the forest plan, and permits cooperative agreements with qualified entities to perform related work on federal and eligible non-federal lands. The act defines who counts as “impacted” or “interested” parties and clarifies key terms used throughout the bill.
Key Points
- 1Coordination with impacted parties: When conducting forest management activities on National Forest System land, federal managers must coordinate with impacted parties to improve efficiency and align practices across lands.
- 2Multi-ecosystem-benefit requirement (with cost check): Forest management activities should, where feasible, pursue multiple benefits (fuel reduction, biodiversity, water quality, Stream Environment Zones, climate resilience), unless the costs are deemed excessive.
- 3Ground disturbance criteria and monitoring: Projects must establish post-program ground-condition criteria and include monitoring to verify achievement of those conditions.
- 4NEPA categorical exclusion for small fuel-reduction projects: Certain activities aimed at reducing forest fuels can be categorically excluded from NEPA review if they are ≤10,000 acres total (and ≤3,000 acres of that as mechanical thinning), are developed in coordination with impacted parties (including local governments) and other interested entities, and are consistent with the forest plan.
- 5Cooperative authorities and partnerships: The Secretary may enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with qualified entities to conduct fuel reduction, erosion control, reforestation, Stream Environment Zone restoration, and similar activities on federal and non-federal lands within relevant programs.
- 6Definitions: The bill defines “interested entities” to include NOAA, state/local/tribal governments, local fire departments, and other volunteers; clarifies terms like “forest management activity,” “National Forest System,” “public lands,” “Stream Environment Zone,” and “Secretary concerned.”