Another wave of stimulus funding was announced recently by the Secretary of Agriculture for 105 projects, funded at more than $94.6 million, located on federal, state, and private lands. To date, USDA has announced $1.03 billion of the $ 1.15 billion - or 89% - of funds authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for Forest Service projects. A few state examples below (visit http://fs.usda.gov/recovery for a full list of projects):

The Alabama Forestry Commission will receive an ARRA grant worth $1.757 million as part of a Regional Longleaf Pine Restoration Initiative.

The nearly $5.2 million in federal stimulus money going to the Arkansas Forestry Commission will pay for six forestry projects, many involving cleanup and repair of damage from an ice storm last winter.

North Carolina state forestry officials will receive more than $6 million in federal economic recovery funds to reduce the spread of wildfires and help restore some of the state’s once-abundant longleaf pine forests.

Bill Crapser, Wyoming state forester, said the federal stimulus money coming to Wyoming will mainly go to reduce the danger of wildfires in areas where communities are bordered by federal land.

The Oregon Board of Forestry voted in June to open up to 70 percent of Oregon's state forests to clear cuts. Environmentalists charge that increasing the cut will endanger habitats, while struggling timber counties argue the new management plan will provide more timber revenue and create  jobs.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack outlined his vision for the future of our nation's forests last week. In his first major address regarding the U.S. Forest Service, Vilsack recognized that the agency must not be viewed as "concerned only with the fate of our National Forests, but must instead be acknowledged for its work in protecting and maintaining all American forests, including state and private lands." He further acknowledged that "the threats facing our forests don't recognize property boundaries. So...we must operate at a landscape-scale by taking an 'all-lands approach.'"

MORE: An editorial in the New York Times praises the secretary's new vision. 

Smokey Bear will appear on the TODAY Show on Friday, August 7, to celebrate his 65th birthday this weekend. Tune in to NBC Friday morning to see Smokey during Al Roker's segment, sometime between 8 and 9 am. NASF thanks New Jersey State Forester Jim Barressi and his staff for helping to get Smokey to Manhattan for the show.

MORE Smokey news: Many states are joining in Smokey celebrations; here are a few examples: Kentucky, Florida, and Massachusetts. In Washington, DC, the USDA is debuting a new bilingual Smokey Bear book for kids.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced the beginning of continuous sign-up for the new Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) on August 10 with the first signup period cutoff scheduled for September 30. Authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill, CSP is a voluntary program administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) that encourages agricultural and forestry producers to maintain existing conservation activities and adopt additional ones on their operations.