Federal brief
Forest Service, NRCS, FWS, and Mississippi sign forest MOU
A September 17, 2026 shared-stewardship memorandum ties USFS, NRCS, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Mississippi to coordinated forest management, prescribed fire, and timber-market goals.
The Forest Service announced a Mississippi shared-stewardship MOU with NRCS, FWS, and the state. The release emphasizes cross-boundary management and wildfire-risk reduction.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) have signed a shared stewardship memorandum of understanding with the State of Mississippi, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, reaffirming coordination on forest management across boundaries on priority landscapes in the state.
"The agreement reinforces the Forest Service's commitment to expanding partnerships and markets, improving forest health through active management, and enhancing coordinated wildfire risk reduction efforts across Mississippi," said Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz . "By working together to increase prescribed fire, expand growing season burns, and ensure a sustainable timber supply to strengthen forest health and the state's forest-based economy, this renewed partnership also supports existing industries and emerging wood product markets, enhances opportunities for hunting and fishing, and reaffirms our commitment to cooperative efforts across all Mississippi forests."
The Forest Service also aims to develop innovative wood product markets, address market barriers in coordination with federal agencies, and expand timber volume and fuels treatments through Good Neighbor Authority agreements. Also, the agreement will improve collaboration on longleaf pine restoration and wildlife habitats, manage invasive species and help protect rare and federally listed species.
"Mississippi’s forestry industry is one of the pillars of our state’s economy, and protecting it requires strong partnerships," said Governor Tate Reeves . “This agreement allows state and federal agencies to work more efficiently across ownership boundaries to improve forest health, reduce wildfire risk, support private landowners, and strengthen Mississippi’s timber economy.”
Original release: https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/newsroom/releases/forest-service-natural-resources-conservation-service-fish-and
What to read next: /executive/agency/usfs and /federal.
This is a Notice Nearby publisher-desk Federal brief — a short in-house summary of a public federal filing or agency press release. It is not official agency minutes, not a newspaper story, and not Legal Publication. It does not satisfy a statutory notice requirement.
Source: the official public federal record official record · USFS Newsroom · Sep 17, 2026.
This is a Notice Nearby publisher-desk Federal brief — a short in-house summary of a public federal filing. It is not official agency minutes, not a newspaper story, and not Legal Publication. It does not satisfy a statutory notice requirement.