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Idaho Department of Lands outlines Good Neighbor Authority, county GNA agreements and cross‑boundary projects
Summary
The Idaho Department of Lands described Good Neighbor Authority (GNA), shared stewardship coordinators and county GNA agreements that have expanded fuel‑reduction projects, commercial harvests and county capacity for cross‑boundary treatments.
Dustin Miller, director of the Idaho Department of Lands, and Arah Andria, Idaho shared stewardship coordinator, described state efforts to increase pace and scale of forest treatments under the Good Neighbor Authority and shared stewardship partnerships.
Miller said Idaho has used GNA to sell about 60 timber sales since the program began and that IDL foresters have sold more than 200 million board feet through those sales. "GNA sales have accounted for between 18 and 27 percent of the annual volume sold from partnering national forests," he said, adding that about 46 million board feet was sold through IDL GNA work in 2024.
The presenters outlined a cross‑boundary approach they call "no boundaries forestry," which integrates National Forest System projects, state endowment forests and private lands work. Arah Andria said shared stewardship coordinators (one north, one south) sit in IDL offices as Forest Service employees and help broker county GNA agreements and grant funding that expand private‑land fuel treatments.
Miller and Andria highlighted a recent milestone: the Payette National Forest and Adams County executed a county Good Neighbor Authority infrastructure agreement that provides funding to implement cross‑boundary fuel reduction projects on private and national forest lands. Miller said Adams County obligated roughly $845,000 in 2024 through county GNA agreements, funding 565 treated acres and work with 48 landowners.
IDL officials said the state's work complements federal initiatives, including a White House executive order to expand timber harvests on federal lands. Miller noted that House Bill 614 (2024 session) provided IDL continuous appropriation authority to administer some federal forest management activities and that the governor's wildfire plan incorporated recommendations from state work groups.
Presenters pointed to operational successes where commercial harvest and subsequent understory treatments helped stop a 2023 fire near Post Falls from reaching nearby homes. They said programmatic authorizations, county agreements, and coordinated funding streams accelerate treatments and improve community protection.
Committee members asked about scaling GNA work to meet new federal priorities and whether additional staffing or funding is needed; Miller said the department is discussing strategic ramp‑up of GNA capacity with the Forest Service. The hearing recorded no formal committee votes on shared stewardship or GNA matters.
