Crapo, Merkley Lead Bipartisan Effort to Expand Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration
Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) teamed up to introduce the bipartisan Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration (CFLR) Program Reauthorization Act of 2025. This legislation would reauthorize and expand the CFLR program, which helps fund collaborative and community-based forest management. The CFLR program has a proven track record of improving forest health, reducing wildfire risk and supporting rural communities.
“Shared, active forest management plays a vital role in reducing the risk of wildfires and fire suppression,” said Crapo. “Ensuring long-term reauthorization of the CFLRP will promote Idaho’s forest health, encourage the responsible stewardship of our public lands and foster resilient, rural economies. Reauthorizing the CFLRP results in stronger relationships on the ground, more effective projects and a decreased risk of conflict and litigation.”
“When people come together to develop collaborative plans to manage our forests, we can thin overgrown forests, strengthen our timber stands, support diverse ecosystems, increase fire resilience and boost workforce development,” said Merkley, Ranking Member of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee. “This is a proven, bipartisan model that delivers healthier forests and stronger communities instead of litigation and conflict. Investing more in collaborative solutions will make a real difference in rural communities across Oregon and beyond.”
In addition to Crapo and Merkley, this legislation is supported by U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), Steve Daines (R-Montana) and Michael Bennet (D-Colorado).
“Cooperation is vital to effectively managing our forests and reducing wildfire risk across the West,” said Risch. “Reauthorization of the CFLRP ensures the longevity of collaboratives that make our forests healthier and Idaho’s communities safer.”
“Forest collaboratives are a proven tool to reduce wildfire risk as well as to head off needless litigation, with the end result in Oregon and elsewhere being jobs and more resilient woodlands,” said Wyden. “The proof of this productive forest formula can be seen in the fact that this legislation has earned bipartisan support in the Senate along with backing from conservationists and lumber companies alike.”
“Collaborative forest projects help create jobs throughout Colorado while restoring wildlife habitat and managing fuel for wildfires. In Colorado, they bring together people across local government, industry and conservation advocacy to make our forests more resilient and help our communities adapt to a changing climate,” said Bennet. “As a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, I’ll work to expand this valuable program for Colorado in the upcoming Farm Bill.”
“In Montana, we’re tired of breathing in smoke. I’m glad to work with my colleagues on this bipartisan measure to streamline commonsense forest management programs and increase collaboration between state and federal partners, so that we can keep our communities safe from catastrophic wildfires,” said Daines.
The CFLR program brings stakeholders from all walks of life together to create solutions aimed at reducing wildfire risk across the West. Requirements of this program ensure that various local stakeholders collaborate, resulting in stronger relationships on the ground, better, more effective projects, and a decreased risk of conflict and litigation. Then-Interior Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Merkley pushed to double funding for the program in the Fiscal Year 2022 Interior spending bill, which funds the U.S. Forest Service. This funded all five collaboratives in Oregon, including the new Rogue River CFLR. The program was last reauthorized by Senators Crapo and Merkley in the 2018 Farm Bill.
CFLR was first authorized in 2009, and in the first ten years of the program, CFLR projects treated and restored 5.7 million acres of forestland, and have helped improve 1,000 miles of trails and maintain 25,000 miles of roads. The lawmakers’ bipartisan bill would extend the program for another ten years, increase the size and scope of the Collaborative to reduce wildfire risk and make other program improvements.
U.S. Representatives Joe Neguse (D-Colorado), Andrea Salinas (D-Oregon) and Kim Schrier (D-Washington) are expected to introduce companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The full text of the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program Reauthorization Act can be found by clicking here.
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