The Council of Western State Foresters (CWSF) Forest Products Committee (FPC) is seeking a company and/or contractor interested in planning and executing a Ponderosa Pine Symposium (Symposium) in November 2025 and crafting a report to follow the Symposium. 

This month, we are pleased to feature Kelly Norris, State Forester for the Wyoming State Forestry Division.

Read the May 2023 edition of the CWSF newsletter.

Over the past month, Danielle Okst has been navigating her transition from Director of Policy to the Executive Director role. 

This month, we are pleased to feature Thomas (Tom) Torres, State Forester for the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management.

Read the April 2023 edition of the CWSF newsletter.

On March 20, 2023,  Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the list of awarded proposals list for the fiscal year 2022 Community Wildfire Defense Grant program. Read our blog for a deeper look at the western process. 

Read the February 2023 edition of the CWSF newsletter.

Read the January 2023 edition of the CWSF newsletter.

Read the October 2022 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter.

CWSF and WFLC welcomed a new staff member, John Smith. 

The September 2022 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The August 2022 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The July 2022 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The Council of Western State Foresters is seeking to identify a contractor to design a publication using text from The True Cost of Wildfire report. 

Patricia Payne joined CWSF and WFLC on June 16 and will serve as the Organizational Services Assistant. 

The June 2022 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The April 2022 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The March 2022 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The February 2022 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The January 2022 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The December 2021 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The October 2021 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The September 2021 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

Last week, the Council of Western State Foresters (CWSF) and the Western Forestry Leadership Coalition (WFLC) welcomed a new staff member, Halie Miyazawa. Halie serves as the Organizational Services Assistant.

CWSF is seeking to identify a contractor to develop a marketing plan and design digital assets focused on educating homeowners and landowners on the need to reduce human-caused wildfires.

The August 2021 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The Council of Western State Foresters (CWSF) is currently accepting applications for an Organizational Services Assistant.  

The Council of Western State Foresters (CWSF) recently released a request for proposals (RFP) to identify a contractor to assist with researching and developing content for State and Private Forestry Fact Sheets with the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands.  

The June 2021 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The May 2021 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The April 2021 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The March 2021 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The February 2021 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The Council of Western State Foresters (CWSF) is seeking proposals from qualified contractors to complete the second iteration of the Western Forestry Leadership Coalition’s True Cost of Wildfire report that will include a full accounting of costs associated with wildfire in the West.

The January 2021 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The December 2020 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The November 2020 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The October 2020 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The September 2020 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The August 2020 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The July 2020 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The June 2020 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The Council of Western State Foresters (CWSF) is seeking proposals from qualified parties to complete an international wood energy market analysis. With a clearly defined, positive relationship between forest utilization, forest health, rural communities, wildfire mitigation, and forest-based economies, the analysis will provide CWSF with a picture of current opportunities presented by international wood energy markets; and provide a technical review of technology and infrastructure domestically available to support engagement in these markets. 

The May 2020 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The April 2020 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The March 2020 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available. 

The February 2020 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available. 

The Nov/Dec 2019 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available. 

The October 2019 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available. 

The September 2019 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The August 2019 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The July 2019 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

Take a look at what's happening in western forestry with news from our member state agencies.

The May 2019 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The April 2019 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

Take a look at what's happening in western forestry with news from our member state agencies.

The March 2019 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

Take a look at what's happening in western forestry with news from our member state agencies.

The February 2019 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

Take a look at what's happening in western forestry with news from our member state agencies.

CWSF and WFLC welcomed two new staff members on Monday, January 14, 2019. Danielle Okst serves as the Associate Director of Policy and Grants, and Kelsey Soeth serves as the Associate Director of Communications and Operations.  

This month, we are pleased to feature Martin Pangelinan Jr., State Forester with the CNMI Department of Lands and Natural Resources / Department of Agriculture - CNMI Forestry.

The October 2018 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

The September 2018 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

This month, we are pleased to feature Greg Josten, State Forester, South Dakota Department of Agriculture, Resource Conservation & Forestry Division.

Take a look at what's happening in western forestry with news from our member state agencies.

Looking for a job in forestry? Check out two new openings with the Council of Western State Foresters.

This month, we are pleased to feature Sonya Germann, State Forester with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.

Take a look at what's happening in western forestry with news from our member state agencies.

The June 2018 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

Take a look at what's happening in western forestry with news from our member state agencies.

This month, we are pleased to feature Mike Lester, Director and State Forester for the Colorado State Forest Service and CWSF Chair.

The April 2018 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

Take a look at what's happening in western forestry with news from our member state agencies.

We invite you to meet Kacey KC, State Forester and Firewarden for the Nevada Division of Forestry.

Take a look at what's happening in western forestry with news from our member state agencies.

We invite you to meet Mary Taufetee, American Samoa Territorial Forester. 

The January 2018 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available. 

The October 2017 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available. 

Take a look at what's happening in western forestry with news from our member state agencies.

The September 2017 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

Take a look at what's happening in western forestry with news from our member state agencies.

We invite you to meet Marlyter P. Silbanuz, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Agriculture Unit – Division of Resources and Management Development, Department of Resources and Development with the Federated States of Micronesia.

Take a look at what's happening in western forestry with news from our member state agencies.

Take a look at what's happening in western forestry with news from our member state agencies.

Take a look at what's happening in western forestry with news from our member state agencies.

The May 2017 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available. 

Alice Haugland, a junior at CU Boulder, will be joining the CWSF team in June as our summer communications intern with the CU Public Interest Internship Experience program. 

The 2017 CWSF/WFLC Spring Meeting took place last week on May 16-18 in Flagstaff, AZ., hosted in conjunction with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. 

Learn more about the May NASF Executive Committee Meeting. 

Take a look at what's happening in western forestry with news from our member state agencies.

We invite you to meet John "Chris" Maisch, Alaska State Forester and Director of the Division of Forestry.

Executive Director Caitlyn Pollihan has announced that she will be transitioning into a new position as Executive Director for the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA).

2016 was an exciting year of growth for the Council of Western State Foresters (CWSF) and we are pleased to highlight the accomplishments of the past year.

We invite you to meet Lajkit Rufus, State Forester for the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

The January 2017 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available. 

CWSF is seeking proposals from qualified companies and/or contractors to capture and synthesize activities on federal forest lands that are being accomplished in partnership between Western state forestry agencies and federal land management agencies.

The October 2016 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

Read October highlight's from CWSF's Executive Director.

We invite you to meet Aaron Everett, Policy Director and State Forester for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. 

We invite you to meet Larry Biles, CWSF Member and Kansas State Forester.

We invite you to meet Eddie Tudor, CWSF Member and New Mexico State Forester.

CWSF was recently featured in the Summer 2016 edition of the National Woodland Owners Association Magazine.

We invite you to meet David Smith, CWSF Member and Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife Administrator.

Read June highlights from our Executive Director Caitlyn Pollihan. 

We invite you to meet Larry Kotchman, CWSF Member and North Dakota State Forester.

The following blog post features CWSF's legislative and policy updates from June 2016. 

The June 2016 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available.

Henry Capelle is the new acting state forester for the Republic of Marshall Islands, replacing Karness Kusto.

The Nebraska Department of Agriculture announced that the emerald ash borer (EAB) was found in southeast Omaha. This is the first confirmation of the insect in Nebraska. Learn more in a press release from the Nebraska Forest Service. On June 17, Nebraska Department of Agriculture announced a second discovery of the emerald ash borer in Greenwood, NE. 

The latest CWSF Legislative and Policy Update was published in late April 2016 and provides information on issues of importance to our members. Please note that the update highlights only a selection of the issues the CWSF is monitoring.

The May 2016 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available. View the newsletter here. 

The 2017 Western Landscape Scale Restoration Competitive Grant program is now open. 

The April 2016 edition of the CWSF Policy and Legislative update is now available in our publication library. This update provides information on issues of importance to the CWSF. 

The April 2016 edition of the CWSF e-newsletter is now available. 

Over the past nine months, the CWSF team has worked hard to completely overhaul our communications program, including a new look, logo and a new website. 

CWSF’s new look includes our new logo and matching “issue icons” -- for use across our communications materials -- to reinforce our collective focus on the most pressing issues facing Western forests.

We are delighted to welcome three new state foresters to the Council of Western State Foresters -- David Smith of Hawaii; Joe Freeland of Nevada; and Eddie Tudor of New Mexico.  

CWSF is also pleased to announce that Greg Josten, state forester of South Dakota, has joined the CWSF executive committee as treasurer.  Greg will serve out the remainder of the term vacated by Tony Delfin, former New Mexico state forester.  As a member of the CWSF executive committee, Josten is also a voting member of the Western Forestry Leadership Coalition executive board.  

CWSF partners with our regional state forestry association colleagues – the Northeastern Area Association of State Foresters (NAASF) and the Southern Group of State Foresters (SGSF) – as well as the National Association of State Foresters (NASF) on priority policy and legislative items of common interest to state foresters nationwide. 

The Council of Western State Foresters’ mission is to cultivate partnerships, raise awareness and take action on important issues affecting Western and Pacific Island forests. In order to effectively implement the strategy, CWSF focuses on communication, forest policy and government issues, staff development, and providing timely and quality information for our members. The CWSF delivers several programs; including two western competitive grant processes and the staff support for the Western Forestry Leadership Coalition.

Please save the date for the 2016 Western Forestry Leadership Coalition (WFLC) Spring Meeting. The WFLC 2016 Spring Meeting will be held May 10–12, 2016 at the Marriott Portland Downtown Waterfront in Portland, OR. This year’s meeting theme is Connecting People to Forests.  This meeting is open to CWSF members, WFLC members, partners and guests.  The meeting is made possible due to the generous support of our sponsors and exhibitors.

The Council of Western State Foresters (CWSF)  is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization of state, territorial, and commonwealth foresters of the Western United States and Pacific Islands.