Alabama Southern Pine Beetle Prevention Program

Cost-share for Alabama non-industrial private forest landowners to thin overcrowded loblolly or shortleaf pine stands before southern pine beetles attack. It pays per acre for commercial and non-commercial thinning, up to $10,000 per landowner. Funded by temporary USDA Forest Service grants and run by the Alabama Forestry Commission.

• Non-industrial private forest landowners in Alabama (individuals, joint owners, non-profits, or corporations that are not wood-using industries and have no publicly traded stock).

• Commercial thinning: loblolly/shortleaf stand 12-22 years old, 7-16 in. DBH, >=600 TPA or >=120 sq ft basal area; thin to 40-80 sq ft basal area.

• Non-commercial thinning: pre-merchantable stands with >600 TPA.

• Prevention only; no retroactive cost-share and no individual tree removal or remediation.

Reimbursement after approved thinning; logging and hauling cost documentation required for commercial thinning; joint owners apply as one landowner with one payment.

Published amounts: Thinning reimbursement: $100 per acre (+$20/acre borax incentive where annosus root rot risk is high); Non-Commercial Thinning reimbursement: $300 per acre; Both practices have a maximum reimbursement of $10,000 per landowner. Max 100 acres per landowner for commercial thinning.

Apply online through the AFC Submittable form (free Submittable account required). Approved landowners must register W-9 information in the State of Alabama STAARS vendor self-service site before reimbursement.

Status: Closed. The 2026 application deadline (October 23, 2026) has passed, and the Submittable form for this cycle now reads "You attempted to access a category that has expired and is no longer available."