SALEM, Ore. — The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) has launched a new round of funding through its Small Forestland Grant Program, providing financial support to landowners working to reduce wildfire risk across the state before and after the 2026 fire season.
The program, established in 2021, continues to fund projects aimed at protecting communities, natural resources, and private property by reducing hazardous fuels and improving forest resilience.
“By investing in the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Small Forestland Grant Program, we aren’t just preparing for the next fire season, we are securing Oregon’s future,” said Mike Kroon, deputy chief of ODF’s Forest Resources Division.
Kroon said the grant program is a key component of Oregon’s long-term wildfire preparedness efforts.
“This program turns taxpayer dollars into tangible protection, helping small landowners reduce fuel loads that would otherwise threaten our communities,” he said. “It’s a foundational piece of Oregon’s 20-year Landscape Resiliency Strategy that maximizes every dollar to build a landscape that is resilient, defensible from wildfires, and safer for all of us.”
Funding Supports 11 Wildfire Mitigation Projects
For the 2024–2026 funding cycle, ODF awarded grants to 11 projects that will treat more than 1,000 acres of land statewide. The projects are designed to reduce hazardous fuels, strengthen community preparedness, and support long-term landscape resilience.
Most of the funded projects are located in Southern and Central Oregon, regions that face some of the highest wildfire risks in the state.
One project already underway is in the Tollgate community near Sisters, where thinning operations are helping improve wildfire safety for residents.
“In addition to significantly reducing hazardous fuels, the thinning operations funded through the ODF Small Forestland Grant Program have substantially improved emergency access and defensible space for more than 190 Tollgate properties,” said Christina Maier, a Tollgate community landowner.
Maier said residents have welcomed the partnership with ODF because of both the immediate and long-term benefits.
“Residents have deeply appreciated ODF’s partnership and support, recognizing both the immediate wildfire risk reduction benefits and the long-term improvements to community safety, evacuation access, and forest health,” she said.
Applegate Project Highlights Program Success
ODF also highlighted the success of a grant-funded project led by the Applegate Partnership and Watershed Council in Jacksonville.
The organization received approximately $269,000 through the Small Forestland Grant Program to carry out wildfire mitigation and community outreach efforts. The project helped improve wildfire preparedness by conducting risk assessments for 60 homeowners, removing more than 800 dead or hazardous trees, reducing vegetation along roads and driveways to improve evacuation routes, and enhancing firefighter access in and around local communities.
Officials said the work not only lowered wildfire risk but also reduced safety hazards for residents, forestry workers, and emergency responders.
The project’s impact extended beyond the grant funding. Through coordination with state and federal partners, the effort leveraged more than $2.4 million from the Natural Resources Conservation Service to treat an additional 262 acres of private land.
A cost-share model also helped stretch available funding, with participating landowners contributing more than $45,000 — roughly 18% of the total project cost.
ODF officials said the grant program remains an important tool in Oregon’s ongoing efforts to create healthier forests, safer communities, and landscapes better equipped to withstand future wildfires.
About the Author
Discover more from Right Now Oregon
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
