by NACD Forestry Manager Annica McGuirk

Conservation districts are using Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) agreements to achieve shared goals with federal partners, deliver meaningful outcomes for local communities, and leverage diverse funding opportunities. To help more districts explore how GNA can work in practice, NACD hosted a three-part webinar series this fall featuring conservation district leaders who shared their firsthand experiences and lessons learned.

This article highlights key insights from those conversations and includes links to each webinar, offering conservation districts a practical look at the benefits, challenges, and on-the-ground realities of partnering through GNA agreements

What is GNA?

The Good Neighbor Authority enables state agencies and conservation districts to partner with the U.S. Forest Service to implement management activities on federal lands. Through GNA, local entities can deliver projects focused on forest health, watershed restoration, and wildfire resilience that align with federal priorities while utilizing local capacity.

Webinar 1: Community-Led Conservation on Federal Lands (New Mexico)

J.R. Logan and Grace Powell from the Taos Soil and Water Conservation District highlighted how their district and partners in northern New Mexico are using GNA to advance community-led forest management on federal lands. In response to wildfire risk and watershed degradation, the district used GNA to move from consultation to co-management, allowing local priorities to guide work. Partners coordinated funding to reduce hazardous fuels, protect water supplies, engage local labor, and rebuild trust. Key outcomes included youth monitoring crews and community forestry projects that strengthened workforce capacity, cultural connections, and demonstrated districts’ role as trusted intermediaries delivering landscape-scale results.

Watch: Community-Led Conservation on Federal Lands Webinar

“The agreement gives districts and the local community not just a seat at the table, but real leverage to make sure our management priorities are heard—and implemented—on federal lands.”

— J.R. Logan, Consulting Watershed Coordinator, Taos Soil and Water Conservation District; Owner, Del Medio Forestry LLC

Webinar 2: Using GNA to Transform Disaster into Economic Development (North Carolina)

Barbara Bleiweis from the Mecklenburg Soil and Water Conservation District shared how conservation districts in North Carolina are using GNA to turn hurricane recovery into long-term economic and environmental benefits through biochar production. After Hurricane Helene, massive hardwood debris posed wildfire and landfill risks across western North Carolina. Through partnerships with the U.S. Forest Service, state agencies, private industry, and local districts, GNA is enabling streamlined debris removal and on-site biochar production using mobile technology. This approach cuts transportation and landfill impacts while supporting soil restoration, watershed protection, workforce development, and scalable rural economic opportunity, demonstrating GNA’s potential to advance shared stewardship beyond disaster response.

Watch: Transforming Disaster Recovery into Economic Development

“The Good Neighbor Authority isn’t about pilot projects—it’s about scale. It allows us to move debris fast, reduce public safety risks, and turn disaster into lasting economic and conservation outcomes.”

— Barbara Bleiweis, Chair, North Carolina Soil and Water Conservation Commission; President, North Carolina Association of Conservation Districts

Webinar 3: Partnering with the U.S. Forest Service: Managing Invasive Species through good neighbor authority (Michigan)

Zach Peklo from the North Country Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area revealed how conservation districts and Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (CISMAs) in northern Michigan are using GNA to tackle invasive species across federal, state, and private lands. Through partnerships among the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Forest Service, and local districts acting as fiscal agents, GNA funding supports treatment, surveying, and forest pest management on national forest lands. Flexible, annually renewed agreements allow partners to target priority infestations, close funding gaps, and coordinate work across boundaries, demonstrating how districts and CISMAs serve as trusted intermediaries delivering efficient, landscape-scale invasive species management.

Watch: Partnering with the USFS for Invasive Species Management Through GNA

“Invasive species don’t respect property boundaries—Good Neighbor Authority lets us put boots on the ground where they’re most needed and gives the Forest Service the local capacity they simply don’t have on their own.”

— Zach Peklo, Invasive Species Program Coordinator, North Country Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (Michigan)