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Counties are responsible for providing critical services to residents and visitors within our jurisdictions, such as road maintenance, education, public safety and emergency services. Historically, rural communities relied on a share of receipts from timber harvests to supplement local funding for schools and roads. However, during the 1980s, new national policies, economic changes and industry shifts caused a severe decline in timber revenue. These declines reduced critical revenue-generated activities across public lands, subsequently reducing revenues for rural counties and school districts that rely on forest management activities conducted on U.S.Forest Service (USFS) system and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) O&C lands.
In response to this decline, the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program was enacted in 2000 (P.L. 106-393) to stabilize payments to counties and compensate for lost revenues by anchoring payments to historical timber receipts rather than current harvest levels. When SRS lapses, counties revert to the 1908 Act 25% payment and the 1937 O&C Act 75% payment (18 Oregon O&C counties), which averaged one-third of the SRS amount in FY 2024, forcing counties and schools to cut to basic government functions that have no alternative funding source. The SRS program delivers critical relief to timber-dependent counties that rely on these funds to maintain essential services, provide quality education and transition toward long-term fiscal stability.
SRS by the Numbers
190M+
Acres
More than 190+ million acres across all eligible counties
700+
Eligible counties
700+ eligible counties may elect to receive SRS
$231M
Direct to counties
$231 million direct to counties via USFS Title I and III which funds roads, schools and county services
SRS County Profiles
Click your county to view SRS amount and to download your individualized county SRS profile. Open the fullscreen map in a new window here.
SRS – Amount, FY 2023
Why is SRS Important to Counties?
SRS compensates counties for the revenue loss of declining timber sales by providing stable funding for local services such as road maintenance, schools, public safety and emergency response.
Featured Resources
Primer for Counties: Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) and Secure Rural Schools (SRS) Programs
This primer provides public lands counties with foundational information on PILT and SRS, including program history, payment administration, county impacts and key policy considerations.
National Center for Public Lands Counties
The NACo Center for Public Lands Counties advances research, policy and collaboration to help counties with federal lands address unique challenges and strengthen local outcomes.
A Split Story: Economic Trends in Public Lands Counties
This report examines the varied economic trends of public lands counties, highlighting how federal land ownership affects local revenue, service delivery and long-term growth.
Learn more about SRS
- High-Three Average
Average the 3 highest revenue-sharing payments from FY 1986–FY1999 for each eligible county. - Payment Proportion
Divide each county's high-three average by the total of all eligible counties' high-three averages. - Acreage Proportion
Divide each county's Forest Service acreage by total FS acreage across all eligible counties. - Base Share
Add the payment proportion (Step 2) and acreage proportion (Step 3) and divide by 2, for counties with FS lands. - Income Adjustment
Divide county per capita income by the median for all eligible counties, then square the result. - Adjusted Ratio
Divide each county's base share (Step 4) by its income adjustment (Step 5). - Adjusted Share
Divide each county's Step 6 result by the total for all eligible counties. - Final Payment
Multiply each county's adjusted share by the full funding amount.
Most SRS funding is allocated to Title I, which can be used for the same purposes as the 25% payments: roads and schools. Title II funds are held at the federal agency level by the BLM or FS for county-designated use on federal land properties. To use funds under Title II, the FS or BLM must create a Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) to approve projects and fund distribution for projects on or to benefit the federal land within the county. Ten percent of the Title II funds can be used to support the functions of the RAC, while 50% must be used for road maintenance and decommissioning or stream and watershed restoration. Title III funds are specifically set aside for community wildfire preparedness planning and related activities, emergency services reimbursement, training or broadband expansion for educational purposes.
Title Number | Minor Distribution | Modest Distribution | Major Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
Title I | 100% OR 80%-85% AND | 80%-85% AND | 80%-85% AND |
Title II | 15%-20% between Titles II & III | 15%-20% between Titles II & III | 8%-20% |
Title III | 15%-20% between Titles II & III | 15%-20% between Titles II & III | <7% |
Payment Election – Accept either the 1908 Act 25% Payment or the SRS Payments
- Forms are due to USFS by August 1, 2026
- Payment election forms were sent to the State Treasurers’ Offices via email on June 6, 2026.
Title Allocation: Title I, II, III percentages
- Forms are due by September 30, 2026
- Payment election forms were sent to the State Treasurers’ Offices via email on June 6, 2026.
More from NACo on SRS
Explore the feed below pulling the latest from NACo on SRS, and for more visit the Public Lands topic page.
Public Lands Knowledge Hub
Open to all county leaders, the hub serves as a clearinghouse for resources that advance the policy and practice study for public lands counties. Engage with resources, connect with county leaders from across the country and share updates on the most pressing issues emerging related public lands management, use and access.