Washington, DC—Earlier this week, President Obama released his proposed federal budget, which includes a freeze on domestic spending. While the president’s budget includes many improvements that support both woodland conservation and environmental education, the American Forest Foundation (AFF) believes that further improvements can be made.

In this tight budget climate, solid investments in federal programs that conserve and improve America’s woodlands and help train the next generation of conservation leaders, will spur job creation in the heart of rural America, move the nation towards a clean energy economy, and help reduce carbon emissions by as much as 20 percent

America’s woodlands, which are owned mostly by families and individuals not the federal government, have a wealth of solutions to many of our nation’s current challenges – job creation, economic development, climate change mitigation, and clean energy to name just a few. Investments in key federal programs will ensure that we fully realize the potential of these woodlands to help the nation on its path to recovery.

At the same time, the federal government must also support environmental education, as a solid investment in our future. Environmental education is critical to helping our students understand the environmental challenges not just of today, but of tomorrow, and provide them with the knowledge and skills to tackle complex problems.

In addition to the highlighted investments below, we applaud the proposed budget for the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service, Farm Service Agency, and forestry research programs. We look forward to working with the USDA to implement these programs on America’s woodlands.

AFF is also working with partners to develop recommendations for USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, to address the ever growing invasive pests and pathogens problem in our nation’s forests.

Today, America’s forests and woodlands support more than one million jobs. By maintaining and improving investments in woodland stewardship, clean energy, and climate mitigation strategies in our forests, we can stimulate economic growth and thousands of additional job opportunities.

Program	FY 2010 Funding (dollars in millions)	FY 2011 President's Proposal	FY 2011 Recommendation
US Forest Service (USFS) Forest Stewardship Program	29.4	29.5	45.0
USFS Forest Health Management Program—Cooperative Lands	60.0	52.9	66.0
USFS Forest Inventory & Analysis*	71.9	66.9	76.0
National Environmental Act (EPA's Office of Environmental Education	9.0	6.4	14.0

* This includes funding provided through the USFS’ research and development program and the state and private forest programs.

For a summary of these programs and other programs in the proposed budget visit www.familyforestaction.org/forestfoundation/issues/alert/?alertid=14650296

The American Forest Foundation (AFF) is a nonprofit conservation organization that works to stem the loss of America’s woodlands 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.