Reforestation, nursery, and seed orchard support

(a) Partnerships, collaboration, and other assistance in support of nurseries and seed orchards The Secretary, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, shall— (1) partner with Federal and State agencies, Indian Tribes, private nurseries, and other relevant entities to provide training, technical assistance, and research to nursery and tree establishment programs that support natural regeneration, reforestation, agroforestry, and afforestation; (2) promote information sharing to improve the technical knowledge, practices, and understanding of the demands, climate change impacts, and other issues necessary to address all facets of the reforestation pipeline; (3) provide technical and financial assistance to international nursery and tree establishment programs through— (A) international programs conducted by the Forest Service pursuant to the International Forestry Cooperation Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 4501 et seq.); (B) the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry of the Forest Service; and (C) the International Institute of Tropical Forestry of the Forest Service; (4) collaborate with other relevant Federal departments and agencies, including the Foreign Agricultural Service of the Department, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior, and international organizations to provide technical and financial assistance related to nurseries and reforestation; (5) coordinate the efforts of the Department to— (A) address the challenges associated with the reforestation pipeline; and (B) leverage economic development assistance for work with private nurseries; and (6) expand science-based reforestation supply chains through research, seed collection and storage, and nursery infrastructure and operations in coordination with the Administrator of the Agricultural Research Service. (b) Nursery and seed orchard financial assistance (1) In general Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a program to provide grants to eligible recipients to support nurseries and seed orchards. (2) Eligible projects The Secretary may make a grant under this subsection to an eligible recipient for a project to carry out at least one of the following: (A) Develop, expand, enhance, or improve nursery production capacity or other infrastructure to— (i) improve seed collection, processing, and storage; (ii) increase seedling production, storage, and distribution; or (iii) enhance seedling survival and properly manage tree genetic resources. (B) Establish, improve, or expand a nursery or seed orchard, including by acquiring equipment for such nursery or seed orchard. (C) Develop or implement quality control measures at nurseries or seed orchards. (D) Promote workforce development within any facet of the reforestation pipeline. (E) Carry out such other activity as the Secretary determines appropriate. (c) Definitions In this section: (1) Eligible recipient The term eligible recipient means— (A) a State forestry agency; (B) an Indian Tribe; (C) a private nursery that has experience growing high-quality native trees of appropriate genetic sources in bareroot or container stock types specific for reforestation, restoration, or conservation, including native plants and seeds that are of cultural significance to Indian Tribes; (D) an institution of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)); and (E) a county or local government with a nursery or seed orchard. (2) Nursery The term nursery means a tree or native plant nursery. (3) Seed orchard The term seed orchard means a tree or native plant seed orchard. (4) State The term State means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any territory or possession of the United States. (d) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.