COEUR D’ALENE, ID — Governor Brad Little has signed Executive Order 2025-04, the “Make Forests Healthy Again Act,” directing the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) to expand collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service to accelerate forest management efforts on federally managed lands in Idaho. The order aims to reduce wildfire danger and address widespread forest health issues.
Governor Little cited years of limited activity on national forest lands as a contributing factor to increased fire risk. “For too long, millions of acres of national forests in Idaho have remained totally untouched, creating a tinderbox of fuel that threatens communities, air quality, and the environment,” he stated.
The executive order builds on recent federal directives, including President Donald Trump’s March 1 “Freeing Our Forests Act” and a memorandum issued this month by U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. Both federal actions seek to remove regulatory barriers and expand forest treatment activities nationwide.
IDL will use the state’s existing Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) and Shared Stewardship programs to carry out more aggressive management, including timber harvests, mechanical thinning, prescribed burns, and fuel break development. Areas of highest risk will be identified using the Idaho Forest Action Plan and the 2025 fire risk map.
Under the Biden administration, IDL’s support for federal forest management had been limited to two small areas. The governor’s executive order, combined with the Trump administration’s actions, is expected to enable treatment on millions of additional acres.
Federal officials expressed support for the order. “This executive order will go a long way towards strengthening the timber industry in the state and minimizing harmful pests, disease, and risk of fire,” said Secretary Rollins. Deputy Under Secretary Kristin Sleeper noted Idaho’s leadership in leveraging the GNA program.
Idaho Farm Bureau CEO Zak Miller added that members had been directly affected by reduced federal land management and expressed support for the expanded efforts.
The executive order commits IDL to working within federal and state legal frameworks to expedite forest treatment projects and coordinate with other agencies. The state will also continue to assess and prioritize additional at-risk lands for future management.
Updates on Idaho’s federal forest collaboration will be available at idl.idaho.gov/about-us/helping-the-feds-manage.
