WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Forest Service today announced $105.5 million in wood innovation grants for 177 projects across the nation that support active management of national forests and grasslands, promote wood and energy  infrastructure by  increasing manufacturing capacity and operational efficiencies and support rural economic prosperity and jobs. The grants include $31 million for 113 wood innovation projects, $17 million for 23 community wood projects, and $57 million for 41 wood products infrastructure assistance projects. The selected projects across 44 states and the District of Columbia will create and retain jobs, reduce wildfire risks for communities adjacent to federal or tribal lands, improve forest health and expand economic opportunities for forest products businesses. The wood innovations investments support President Trump’s Executive Order on Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins’ direction to have the Forest Service to ramp up active forest management to improve forest health, reduce wildfire risk, and support rural prosperity.