Texas Resilient Landscapes Initiative
Purpose
Build resilience in Texas forests and woodland ecosystems by leveraging funding to support reforestation efforts in areas that have experienced tree damage due to natural disasters within the last 10 years. This includes tree loss from fire, flood, wind/ice storms, tornadoes, drought, insect, and disease issues.
Practices
Shredding or mulching, prescribed burning, direct seeding, riparian forest buffer planting, bareroot or containerized seedling planting, and temporary browse protection. One type of planting/seeding must be included in the planned practices.
Eligibility
Non-federal, non-industrial forest/woodland landowners in good standing with the State of Texas. Must have a written stewardship plan prior to reimbursement.
Application
The application will open December 1, 2025, and close January 23, 2026.
Another application period will be announced in summer/fall 2026.
About
The Texas Resilient Landscape Initiative program builds resilience in Texas forests and woodlands by leveraging cost-share funding to support reforestation efforts in areas vulnerable to risk of loss from disaster and change.
The program is available across the state. Priority ranking will be given to projects in areas with gaps in existing funding opportunities for landscape-scale forest restoration and recovery, such as the woodlands of north and central Texas and riparian ecosystems in south and west Texas.
Non-federal, non-industrial forest landowners are eligible to receive up to $80,000 per year for practices implemented on their properties. Practices must be between 10 – 150 acres, and the property must have a stewardship plan prior to reimbursement. The practice areas must have recently (within the past ten years) lost trees due to natural disasters or weather extremes.
Awardees will have one year to complete the project, with the option of a one-year extension. There will be four award cycles for four years starting in 2025.
Shredding or mulching | $168.75/ac
Prepare the site for planting by shredding or mulching competing vegetation and standing woody debris. The following specifications are required to meet the full reimbusement rate.
Timing
Work may be completed up to six months prior to planting.
Mulching, shredding specifications
Work must be completed at a sufficient intensity to remove competing or invasive vegetation, reduce wildfire risk, and enable access for planting. No more than 25% of the project area may be left untreated.
Shredding height
Shredding must be completed at a height of 2-4 inches.
Leave trees
All live native trees greater than four inches DBH must be retained.
BMPs
All work must adhere to Texas Forestry Best Management Practices.
Inspection
All work must be inspected prior to final reimbursement.
Prescribed fire | $37.50/ac
Prepare the site for planting by prescribed burning to remove competing vegetation and standing woody debris. The following specifications are required to meet the full reimbusement rate.
Participants will work with a licensed Texas Department of Agricultural Certified and Insured Prescribed Burn Manager (CIPBM). CIPBMs will notify Texas A&M Forest Service at least 24 hours prior to the prescribed burn ignition.
Contracts should email [email protected] and [email protected] with notification. This notification does not represent: an approval by the agency of the safety of the project, any review of environmental conditions, or liability for the burn manager’s decision to conduct the prescribed burn.
All work must adhere to Texas Forestry Best Management Practices.
CIPBMs will notify Texas A&M Forest Service immediately after the prescribed burn and provide the number of acres that were treated. CIPBMs will bill the landowner. Agency personnel will conduct a post-burn inspection to verify the treatment acreage.
Direct seeding | $337.50/ac
Establish native trees adapted to future conditions through direct seeding when planting is not practical or feasible. The following specifications are required to meet the full reimbusement rate.
Timing
Seedlings should be planted between October and April.
Seeds
Seeds must be collected while ripe and appropriately stored to prevent drying or mold formation.
Seeding rate
Seeding must be conducted at a rate that supports a minimum germination of 600 trees per acre.
Ground contact
Seeds must be distributed in away that ensures contact with bare mineral soil.
Special treatment
Any seeds that require special treatment such as scarification prior to germination will be treated.
Inspection
All work must be inspected prior to final reimbursement.
Plant live cuttings | $375/ac
Establish a riparian forest buffer using cuttings of regionally appropriate species such as cottonwoods and willows.
Timing
Cuttings should be planted during dormancy, between October and April.
Trees per acre
Stakes should be planted at a minimum rate of 200 cuttings per acre.
BMPs
All work must adhere to Texas Forestry Best Management Practices.
Inspection
All work must be inspected prior to final reimbursement.
Bareroot or containerized seedlings | $5.60/seedling
Plant bareroot or containerized seedlings native and well adapted to the planting site. The following specifications are required to meet the full reimbusement rate.
Trees per acre
Seedlings should be planted at a minimum rate of 200 seedlings per acre. Information, including planting rate, for hardwood tree establishement, pine tree establishment, and longleaf tree establishment.
Timing
Seedlings should be planted during dormancy, between the months of October and April.
BMPs
All work must adhere to Texas Forestry Best Management Practices.
Inspection
All work must be inspected prior to final reimbursement.
Temporary browse protection | $4.90/seedling
Protect planted seedlings with temporary browse protection sufficient to provide 3 years of protection from the primary identified animal threat. The following specifications are required to meet the full reimbusement rate.
Timing
Structures must be installed within 2 weeks of planting.
Type
Type of browse protection must be sufficient to protect the entire seedling or live stake from predominant animal threat for a minimum of three years.
Inspection
All work must be inspected prior to final reimbursement.
Enrollment steps
- Interested party fills out online application.
- Applications are reviewed using matrix and awarded.
- Applicant receives award decision letter.
- Local agency forester/ecologist conducts site visit and creates a practice plan for the project (plan may also be created ahead of time and submitted with the application).
- Awardees submit W9, supporting documentation as needed, and sign agreement with agency.
- Applicants have one year to complete practice(s).
- Stewardship plan is created for property if none exists.
- Forester inspects work to ensure it was performed to specifications.
- Applicant paid established cost-share rate for practices completed according to specifications.
GET STARTED
Contact us for more information about the Texas Resilient Landscapes Initiative.