Over 60 attendees gathered from May 13-15 in Salt Lake City, Utah, for the 2025 Council of Western State Foresters (CWSF) and Western Forestry Leadership Coalition (WFLC) Spring Meeting.
This annual gathering is an important opportunity for CWSF and WFLC members to connect, share updates, and engage in meaningful discussions about the challenges and opportunities facing forestry across the West.
Attendees included representatives from 16 western state forestry agencies, Guam, six regions of the USDA Forest Service (Forest Service), and the Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory. In addition to state and federal leadership, the meeting welcomed partners from the National Association of State Foresters (NASF), the Southern Group of State Foresters (SGSF), the Northeast-Midwest State Foresters Alliance (NMSFA), the NASF Foundation, Wildland Fire Leadership Council, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), and the National Forest Foundation.
The meeting opened with a welcome from Jamie Barnes with the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands (FFSL), and Danny McBride with the Forest Service Northern and Intermountain Regions. Jamie’s remarks outlined the roles of the Utah Department of Natural Resources and FFSL, emphasized the value of partnerships, and highlighted the Fire Sense wildfire prevention campaign. Danny spoke about the State, Private, and Tribal Forestry (SPTF) Programs and Shared Stewardship within the state, promoting shared conservation priorities, investments, and activities across all forest lands in Utah.
CWSF/WFLC Policy Director Neil Simpson followed with a comprehensive policy update covering updates on budget reconciliation, the fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget outlook, and State Foresters' recent trip to Washington, D.C.
The afternoon continued with a virtual keynote address from Kristin Sleeper, USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and the Environment. The Deputy Under Secretary’s remarks emphasized the importance of the Good Neighbor Authority, the need for active forest management, and the role that relationships play in creating healthy and resilient landscapes.
Following the keynote, regional and national updates were provided by NASF, NMSFA, SGSF and the NASF Foundation. These updates offered insight into regional and national efforts that align with Western priorities.
Day one wrapped up with a presentation by Yewah Lau from TNC. Yewah provided updates on the Western Dry Forests and Fire Program and engaged with members in a discussion on how TNC can work with states to address wildfire risk across the West.
On Wednesday, attendees stepped outside for a morning field tour hosted by Utah FFSL. This field tour provided attendees with an opportunity to learn about local forest and natural resource management issues, including wildfire-related challenges and opportunities.
Following the field tour, the group reconvened for discussions centered around adapting to change and the importance of partnerships.
CWSF members conducted elections for the 2025-2026 CWSF Executive Committee, which includes Chair Kelly Norris (WY), Incoming Chair Jamie Barnes (UT), Treasurer Laura McCarthy (NM), and Immediate Past Chair John Erixson (NE). The transition to the 2025-2026 Executive Committee will take place at the NASF Annual Meeting at the end of September.
The final day of the Spring Meeting featured a virtual update from John Crockett, Deputy Chief for State, Private, and Tribal Forestry. Deputy Chief Crockett shared updates and engaged in a Q&A session with WFLC members.
WFLC members shared observations and dialogued with one another to address questions and reflect on themes raised throughout the week. These conversations reaffirmed the importance of open communication and the value of state–federal partnerships.
The final day of the meeting brought states and Forest Service partners together for regional breakouts focused on information sharing, relationship building, and action-oriented conversations, specific to each region.
Closing remarks emphasized the impact of SPTF programs and those who deliver them, the importance of continued investment to support these meaningful on-the-ground accomplishments, all while leveraging opportunities for improved efficiencies.
A special thank you to the 2025 Spring Meeting sponsors, including Pano AI, NWTF, John Deere, Technosylva, and the Timmons Group.
CWSF and WFLC members will convene for the 2025 Fall Meeting in Washington, D.C., from December 10-12 to conduct internal business.
