Congress created the Emergency Forest Restoration Program in 2008 to help private landowners restore nonindustrial forests after disasters. But the program is now effectively stalled: a USDA spokesperson confirmed that requests for financial assistance exceed the funding currently available. Congress appropriated $357 million for the program nearly two years ago, and much of that money was earmarked for landowners recovering from the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season.
In Michigan, a severe ice storm in March 2025 damaged roughly 3 million acres of forest across 12 counties. The state estimates it needs about $14 million just to recover the 1 million acres managed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The Farm Service Agency invited Michigan landowners to apply in May 2025, but the rollout has been marked by delays, confusion about eligibility, and little communication from federal officials. Around 600 landowners are in the application process, according to the state DNR.
Some landowners have started restoration work at their own expense because they couldn't wait for federal approval, even though the Farm Service Agency warns that such work is not guaranteed reimbursement. Foresters say the delays will have uneven effects depending on the level of damage and tree species. As climate change brings more extreme weather, they stress the need for reliable funding. "Our weather conditions are becoming more harsh in many circumstances, so we need to be able to have these pots of funding available," said Logan Hawley, a landowner and forester in Hubbard Lake, Michigan.