Priority 1: Bolstering Wildfire Response – $420,000 recurring / $5.5 million non-recurring 1
- The Forestry Commission responds to more than 1,200 wildfires annually across 13 million acres of unincorporated land. Current reliance on National Weather Service forecasts lacks the detailed fire behavior analysis needed to anticipate extreme conditions, and federal funding for firefighter PPE, AEDs, and uniforms has become increasingly unreliable. Rising wildfire activity has also quickly exhausted contract funds for single engine air tankers (SEATs) and revealed critical gaps in hand crew availability, especially in mountainous areas impacted by Hurricane Helene. Without additional support, the agency faces gaps in forecasting, firefighter safety, and suppression resources.
- Fully funding this request will provide one new FTE meteorologist with fire behavior expertise, ensure sustainable funding for firefighter protective gear and uniforms, and strengthen overall preparedness. It will also provide one-time funding for SEAT aircraft contracts and qualified hand crews, expanding aerial and ground suppression capacity to better protect lives, property, and natural resources.
Priority 2: Information Technology – $260,000 recurring / $560,000 non-recurring 2
- The Forestry Commission’s ability to respond effectively to wildfires depends on reliable communications, dispatching, and data systems. Current internet infrastructure is costly and underperforms during high activity, leaving dispatch centers at risk of degraded performance. Firefighting safety is also limited by the absence of real-time vehicle tracking, while agency records remain largely paper-based, slowing operations. In addition, key systems such as dispatch recording equipment are nearing end-of-life and require replacement to maintain continuity of service. Without investment, the agency faces gaps in system reliability, firefighter safety, and operational efficiency.
- Fully funding this request will transition agency connectivity to a more reliable SD-WAN network, install automatic vehicle location (AVL) on all firefighting and road equipment, and implement the OnBase system to streamline document management. It will also provide one-time funding for SD-WAN implementation, initial OnBase setup, and replacement of the dispatch recording system, ensuring modernized technology infrastructure that strengthens organizational efficiency, firefighter safety, and emergency response capacity.
Priority 3: Bolstering Conservation Education – $75,000 recurring
- For decades, the Forestry Commission’s flagship conservation education programs—Project Learning Tree, the Wood Magic Forest Fair, and school-based initiatives—have been sustained by private and federal grants. Those sources have now largely disappeared due to mill closures, loss of EPA pass-through funding, and reduced industry support. Without stable state funding, these nationally recognized programs face elimination, leaving students and teachers without access to forestry-centered environmental education.
- Fully funding this request will provide $75,000 in recurring state support to sustain these three programs, covering core operating costs such as educational materials, facilitator stipends, event logistics, and classroom activities. This modest investment will ensure continued delivery of South Carolina’s only statewide forestry-based education programs, strengthening forest literacy and promoting future careers in forestry.
Priority 4: Strengthening Forestland Conservation – $370,000 recurring / $20 million non-recurring 3
- South Carolina is one of the fastest growing states in the nation and as our population increases so does the risk of deforestation. A primary goal of the Forestry Commission is the conservation of working forests and recently the agency has stepped up efforts to conserve working forests in our state through fee-simple acquisitions of forestland to be added to our State Forests system or through the acquisition of conservation easements of working forests. These conservation easements leverage federal funding that requires a state agency hold title to the easements and currently the Forestry Commission is the only agency that fills this niche. Currently the agency does not have dedicated staff for this work and the projects we are working on are outstripping agency capacity. Dedicated funding and staff are necessary to increase the agency’s capacity to capitalize on conservation opportunities to help attain agency and state conservation goals.
- Fully funding this request will provide one new FTE, shift one FTE from other funds to state, and increase agency capacity to identify and capitalize on conservation opportunities for forestlands in our state.
Priority 9: BMP Road Mat Cost-Share Program – $500,000 non-recurring
- Mud on public roads from logging operations is a longstanding concern that has grown as rural areas develop. Even when entrances are built to SCDOT standards, wet weather and long haul distances often cause mud to reach highways, creating hazards and increasing road maintenance costs. At the same time, landowners face damage to private roads, and loggers encounter costly downtime when weather prevents access. Without intervention, these challenges will continue to hinder timber operations and public safety.
- Fully funding this request will establish a cost-share program to help timber operators purchase steel road mats, covering up to 75% of costs. Because mats can be reused across multiple tracts, this one-time investment will mitigate mud on public roads, protect landowner roads, and improve logger efficiency in wet conditions.
1 Non-recurring components correspond to the B2 designated as priority #5 ($2 million) and the B2 designated as priority #6 ($3.5 million).
2 Non-recurring component corresponds to the B2 form designated as Priority #7.
3 Non-recurring component corresponds to the Capital Request designated as Priority #8.