How to Apply for Washington DNR Cost-Share Assistance

Last Updated: July 2026

Washington forest landowners may be able to receive technical and financial assistance for qualifying wildfire resilience, forest health and forest management projects through the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.

DNR currently refers to this opportunity as Financial Assistance for Wildfire Resilience and Forest Health. It was previously described as the Washington DNR cost-share program, which remains the term many landowners use when searching for information.

The process usually begins by contacting a local DNR service forester rather than hiring a contractor or beginning vegetation work. A forester can review the property, discuss the landowner’s goals, help determine whether the land and proposed treatment may qualify and explain the current application and approval process.

Important: Program funding, eligible treatments, approval requirements and reimbursement procedures may change. Do not begin work based on the expectation of financial assistance until DNR has reviewed the property and provided written direction or approval.

What the Washington DNR Financial Assistance Program Does

The program is intended to help qualifying forest landowners improve forest health and reduce wildfire-related risks. Assistance may include professional guidance, forest management planning and financial participation in approved treatment work.

Depending on the property and current program priorities, potential treatment objectives may include:

• Reducing overcrowded forest conditions
• Thinning smaller trees and dense understory vegetation
• Pruning or reducing ladder fuels
• Managing slash and woody debris
• Improving forest resilience to wildfire, insects or disease
• Developing or updating a forest stewardship or management plan
• Completing other approved forest-health treatments

Not every type of land clearing or vegetation removal qualifies. Projects focused primarily on construction preparation, landscaping, development or general property cleanup may fall outside the program’s forest-health objectives.

Who May Be Eligible?

Washington DNR currently states that non-federal owners with fewer than 5,000 forested acres in Washington may be eligible to participate.

That general acreage standard does not guarantee that a property or project will qualify. DNR may also evaluate:

• Whether the land is considered forestland
• The property’s location and applicable DNR region
• Existing forest health or wildfire concerns
• The proposed treatment and expected outcome
• Current funding and regional priorities
• Whether the project complies with applicable requirements
• Whether work has already begun

Landowners should contact DNR directly for an eligibility determination. Owners of smaller parcels may still be able to receive guidance, although the type of assistance and site-visit availability may vary.

Step 1: Identify Your Property Goals

Before contacting DNR, write down what you are trying to accomplish. Clear goals make it easier for a forester to understand the property and recommend an appropriate next step.

Common goals may include:

• Reducing dense brush or small trees
• Improving the health of retained timber
• Reducing ladder fuels beneath mature trees
• Managing dead, damaged or overcrowded vegetation
• Improving wildfire resilience around forested acreage
• Creating a long-term forest management plan
• Improving access for future forest maintenance

Be specific about whether the project is intended for forest health, wildfire resilience, a future building site, road construction or another property use. Traditional land clearing for development is different from selective forest-health treatment.

Step 2: Gather Basic Property Information

You do not need to prepare a complete forestry report before contacting DNR. However, having basic information available can make the initial conversation more productive.

Helpful information may include:

• Property address and county
• Approximate number of forested acres
• Parcel number if available
• Maps or aerial images of the property
• Locations of homes, shops, barns and access roads
• Descriptions or photographs of the vegetation
• Known wildfire, insect, disease or forest-health concerns
• Previous thinning, logging or vegetation work
• Areas the landowner wants to preserve
• Access limitations, slopes or wet areas

Photographs can help communicate general conditions, but they do not replace an on-site review when one is required.

Step 3: Contact a Washington DNR Service Forester

The current DNR process begins with contacting a local forestry representative. DNR provides a Find Your Forester tool and regional contacts through its Landowner Assistance Portal.

Official DNR resources:

• Financial Assistance for Wildfire Resilience and Forest Health
• Washington DNR Landowner Assistance Portal
• Forest Stewardship Planning

Because staff assignments and contact information may change, use the current DNR directory rather than relying on an old name, email address or phone number copied from another website.

Step 4: Schedule a Forestry Consultation

A local forester may speak with the landowner by telephone, review information remotely or arrange a property visit. The exact process depends on the acreage, location, forester availability and type of assistance requested.

During the consultation, the forester may evaluate:

• Tree density and spacing
• Brush and understory conditions
• Ladder fuels
• Dead or damaged vegetation
• Insect or disease concerns
• Wildfire exposure
• Terrain and equipment access
• Roads and private access routes
• Potential treatment methods
• Long-term forest management goals

DNR states that service forestry consultations and planning advice are available without cost or obligation. Forest stewardship planning may also help landowners identify long-term management priorities and, in some situations, qualify for financial-assistance opportunities.

Step 5: Review the Recommended Treatment

After evaluating the property, the forester may recommend a treatment or planning approach. The recommendation should be based on actual forest conditions rather than a generic acreage-clearing formula.

A proposed treatment may identify:

• The portion of the property included in the project
• Trees or vegetation to retain
• Material to thin, prune or remove
• Target spacing or treatment objectives
• Slash and debris-handling requirements
• Access and equipment limitations
• Environmental or regulatory considerations
• Maintenance expectations after the initial project

Potential treatment methods may include hand work, selective tree removal, mechanical thinning or forestry mulching. The appropriate method depends on the approved specifications, material size, terrain and desired forest condition.

Step 6: Confirm Whether an Application Is Required

The forester will explain the current documentation required for the applicable funding source. Do not assume that a form found through an old search result is still the correct application.

The application or agreement may require information such as:

• Landowner and property information
• Project location
• Forested acreage
• Treatment description
• Estimated project quantities
• Proposed completion period
• Estimated costs
• Landowner responsibilities
• Contractor information when applicable
• Signatures or written authorization

The forester may also need to confirm that the project complies with program requirements before approval.

Step 7: Wait for Approval Before Starting Work

This is one of the most important parts of the process.

Do not begin cutting, thinning, mulching, clearing or contractor work merely because the property appears eligible. Work completed before authorization may not qualify for financial assistance.

Before starting, confirm in writing:

• That the project has been approved
• The approved treatment area
• The approved scope and specifications
• The amount or basis of financial assistance
• The project completion deadline
• Required documentation
• Whether contractor estimates must be submitted
• Whether inspections are required
• How reimbursement or payment will be handled

Funding is not guaranteed until DNR confirms the award or agreement.

Step 8: Obtain a Contractor Scope and Estimate

After the treatment requirements are understood, the landowner can request a contractor estimate based on the approved or proposed specifications.

The contractor should be provided with:

• A map of the treatment area
• The written project specifications
• Trees or vegetation that must remain
• Required spacing or treatment objectives
• Slash-handling requirements
• Access and staging limitations
• Completion deadlines
• Documentation requested by DNR

A contractor should not replace the DNR forester’s eligibility determination or modify the approved treatment without authorization.

Step 9: Complete the Approved Work

The project should follow the written treatment requirements. Unapproved changes may affect eligibility or reimbursement.

During the project, keep records such as:

• Signed contractor estimates or agreements
• Invoices and proof of payment
• Before-and-after photographs
• Dates when work was performed
• Maps showing completed areas
• Records of landowner labor when permitted
• Correspondence regarding approved changes

DNR currently indicates that qualifying landowners may be allowed to perform the approved work themselves. Landowners considering that option should obtain DNR’s reimbursement instructions before beginning.

Step 10: Complete Any Required Inspection or Documentation

DNR may need to verify that the treatment was completed according to the approved specifications before financial assistance is finalized.

Depending on the agreement, this may involve:

• A final site inspection
• Photographs
• Invoices or receipts
• Completed reimbursement forms
• Proof of payment
• Documentation of landowner labor
• A final treatment map

Keep copies of all documents submitted to DNR.

What Types of Work May Fit the Program?

Every project must be reviewed individually, but forest-health and wildfire-resilience treatment may involve:

• Selective thinning
• Reducing dense understory vegetation
• Pruning ladder fuels
• Removing certain dead or damaged trees
• Managing slash from approved work
• Improving forest spacing
• Preparing or updating a forest management plan
• Other treatments authorized by DNR

Projects involving wildfire mitigation may overlap with these objectives, but not every defensible-space or property-clearing project will qualify.

What May Not Qualify?

DNR determines eligibility, but projects may be less likely to fit the program when their primary purpose is:

• Clearing a residential or commercial building site
• Preparing a driveway or utility corridor for development
• Routine landscaping
• Removing vegetation solely for views
• General cleanup unrelated to forest health
• Work completed before approval
• Treatments outside the authorized area
• Work that does not follow program specifications

A project can include several objectives. For example, one section of a property might qualify for selective forest-health treatment while a future building site requires separately funded land clearing.

Does Every Applicant Receive Funding?

No. Meeting the general ownership and acreage criteria does not guarantee approval.

Funding decisions may depend on:

• Current program funding
• Regional priorities
• Property eligibility
• Forest conditions
• Proposed treatment benefits
• Application completeness
• Available staff and program capacity
• Compliance with program requirements

The amount of assistance can also vary by project. Do not advertise or rely on a fixed reimbursement percentage unless DNR has confirmed it for the specific agreement.

Can Axsus Land Management Approve an Application?

No. Washington DNR alone determines program eligibility, treatment approval and the amount of financial assistance available through its programs.

Axsus Land Management can review a proposed treatment scope, evaluate equipment access, discuss practical treatment methods and prepare an estimate for landowners who have received guidance or specifications from DNR.

Contractor involvement does not guarantee that a project will be approved or reimbursed.

Prepare Before Requesting a Project Estimate

Before contacting a contractor, try to have the following available:

• DNR forester contact information
• Property and treatment-area maps
• Written treatment recommendations
• Approval or application status
• Required project specifications
• Completion deadlines
• Documentation requirements
• Known access, terrain or material-handling limitations

Clear written specifications allow the contractor to provide a more useful scope and estimate.

Start With Washington DNR

Landowners interested in financial assistance should begin with Washington DNR’s current program page or Landowner Assistance Portal. DNR can determine whether the property may qualify and identify the appropriate forestry contact.

After DNR has evaluated the property or provided treatment guidance, Axsus Land Management can discuss practical implementation options for qualifying work across Eastern and Central Washington.