Tropical forestry research and assistance

To promote sound management and conservation of tropical forests of the United States and to promote the development and transfer of technical, managerial, educational, and administrative skills to managers of tropical forests within or outside the United States, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to provide assistance through the Forest Service to eligible entities in States with tropical forests to— Assistance provided to eligible entities under this section may be in the form of grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements. As used in this section: The term “eligible entity” means a State forester or equivalent State official, State, political subdivision of a State, Federal agency, private organization, corporation, or other private person. The term “State” means each of the 50 States, Guam, American Samoa, the Republic of Palau (until the Compact of Free Association enters into effect), Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.