For Immediate Release
May 28, 2010

"The American Great Outdoors includes more than 260 million acres of private forest land, roughly one-third of all U.S. forests. These forests provide multiple benefits to all Americans, including clean air and water, wildlife habitat and recreation opportunities. Any healthy outdoor strategy in America must include a focus on private forest land," said Tom Martin, CEO and President of the American Forest Foundation (AFF).

"The devastating decline of our forest product markets here in Montana makes it really tough for us to hold on to our forests. But there are other market opportunities that with the right kind of incentives, can go a long way in keeping us in business and our forests healthy," said, Gary Johnson, a certified AFF Tree Farmer and Inspector in Missoula.

AFF is promoting four key solutions to help keep America's forests healthy and thriving:

• Promote markets for America's family-owned forests: From made-in-America sustainable wood products for government buildings, to helping forest owners participate in carbon markets, to including biomass from family owned forests, there are numerous ways to help build a stronger market for America's forest products.
• Remove tax burdens: The federal estate tax many times forces family forest owners to sell their land or harvest their timber prematurely and at unsustainable quantities. Legislation in Congress such as the Thompson Family Farm Preservation and Conservation Estate Tax Act (HR3524) can help families avoid liquidating their timber to pay estate taxes.
• Support public investments in family forest conservation and restoration: Private forests generate significant public benefits – clean air and water, storm protection. Public investments should include financial incentives to encourage carbon storage, restoration of ecologically important forests, watershed and habitat protection, and invasive species control.
• Support Environmental Education: If the next generation doesn't understand and value nature, the Great Outdoors will be little more than a memory. The No Child Left Inside Act, encourages teachers to incorporate environmental education and outdoor learning into their classroom. Congress must also provide funding for environmental education, through the National Environmental Education Act and other programs.

"I want the Administration to know that here in Montana, our forests are America's Great Outdoors and we need some help to keep them thriving for everyone's benefits," Johnson said.

The American Forest Foundation (AFF) is a nonprofit conservation organization that works to stem the loss of America's wood-lands by helping family forest landowners manage their land for clean water, wildlife habitat, recreation, and wood products.

AFF works to ensure decision makers and educators understand the value of America's woodlands through environmental education and outreach efforts that bring outdoor learning to children and adults across the country. We enhance the quality of America's woodlands through our 50-state network of partners and volunteers who lead initiatives on 24.3 million acres of family woodlands and engage youth and communities in conservation efforts.

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