The Good Neighbor Authority eases cooperation when things get messy. Pileated Woodpecker. Photo: John Troth/Audubon Photography Awards A mention of a national forest probably evokes images of pristine wilderness, mountain trails, fall foliage, wildlife habitat, untouched gorges, lakes and rivers. But behind those landscapes is a more mundane reality: forests that need constant care.   Wildfire fuels build up, storms knock down trees, roads wash out, invasive pests spread, and habitat fragments. Look at a map of U.S. forest land and you’ll see why addressing this is a challenge, because these natural areas don’t stop neatly at the political boundaries between federal, state, Tribal, county, or private lands. This is where the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) comes in, a tool that allows the U.S.…