Chesapeake Bay Shared Stewardship Agreement

Washington, DC, Sept. 16, 2026 – Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and the states of Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia signed the renewal of the Chesapeake Bay Shared Stewardship Agreement, reaffirming the commitment to coordinated forest conservation, restoration, and active management across the 64,000‑square‑mile Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Established in 2020, the Chesapeake Bay Shared Stewardship Agreement was the nation’s first watershed‑scale shared stewardship framework. This renewed five-year agreement strengthens collaboration among federal, state, and local partners and aligns with the Healthy Forests and Trees goal in the 2025 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. It builds on nearly four decades of joint restoration work under the EPA-led Chesapeake Bay Program partnership, which the Forest Service has supported since 1988.

“Renewing this shared stewardship agreement reflects our collective commitment to healthy forests, thriving communities, and clean water across the Chesapeake Bay,” said Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz. “The agreement outlines a comprehensive strategy to conserve, restore, and actively manage forests across the watershed. Partners will work toward goals set in the Watershed Agreement for 2040 including planting and maintaining 202,000 acres of forests, reducing forest conversion by 33 percent, expanding community tree cover, and restoring riparian buffers.”

The agreement accelerates active management across federal, state, and private lands by connecting forestry networks, supporting small-acreage landowners, complementing Good Neighbor Authority work on National Forest System lands, and expanding financial and technical assistance for private landowners.

“Forests make up roughly two-thirds of the watershed, and approximately 80 percent of those forests are privately owned,” said Forest Service Deputy Chief Ellen Shultzabarger, who oversees the shared stewardship program. “State forestry agencies invest an estimated $26 million annually in programs that support the health and sustainability of these lands. The renewed agreement provides a blueprint for expanding those efforts—helping conserve forests, improve water quality, bolster rural economies, and increase resilience to wildfire, pests, and natural disasters.”

Landscape-scale restoration will be guided by State Forest Action Plans and the forthcoming Chesapeake Bay Program Healthy Forests and Trees Management Strategy, emphasizing riparian buffer restoration, community tree planting, agroforestry, and best management practices for forest harvesting.

The Forest Service will also enhance coordination with the George Washington and Jefferson and Monongahela national forests through existing Good Neighbor Agreements and explore additional opportunities to improve watershed health, recreation access, and resilience to flooding and wildfire.

The agreement seeks to strengthen markets and rural economies by expanding innovative wood product opportunities, supporting mill infrastructure, and exploring branding for Chesapeake Bay forest products. It also prioritizes forest health and disaster resilience through coordinated disease response and by promoting reforestation, prescribed burning, and riparian conservation.

Enhanced support for private landowners will continue through partnerships with NRCS and the Farm Service Agency, while expanded nursery capacity will help meet long-term regional needs for hardwood seedlings and native plants essential for large-scale restoration.