AFF Applauds Introduction of the Disaster Reforestation Act in the Senate
The following statement can be attributed to Tom Martin, President and CEO of the American Forest Foundation in regards to the introduction of the Disaster Reforestation Act in the Senate (S. 2768):
“With disasters increasing in severity and frequency, the fire-prone landscapes in the West and the storm-ravaged South, a key woodbasket for the U.S. are at risk.
What’s more is that families and individuals own and care for the largest portion – 39 percent – of these forests. That’s 290 million acres. These family forest owners care about their land, but most are not wealthy landowners. One in three landowners have a household income of less than $50,000. When a disaster strikes unexpectedly, these landowners face significant financial barriers to clean up the disaster and restore their woodlands to health. Unhealthy and destroyed forests face further threats, including from invasive species and additional wildfires. This domino effect not only harms the forests but also the many natural benefits, such as clean air and water, wildlife habitat, and sustainable wood supplies, as well as the local communities. It’s a cycle that needs stopped.
“We applaud U.S. Senators Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) on the introduction of the Disaster Reforestation Act, which allows family and private forest owners to recover from the loss of timber destroyed by natural disasters and reforest their lands. This bill would reduce financial burdens of disasters by providing equitable tax treatment of casualty loss of these family forest owners’ timber when a disaster strikes.”
A similar bill was introduced in the House of Representatives earlier this year.
Contact: Elizabeth Greener; (202) 253-1096; egreener@forestfoundation.org
About the American Forest Foundation
The American Forest Foundation (AFF), a forest conservation organization, works exclusively to empower family forest owners to make a meaningful conservation impact around wildlife habitat, clean water, carbon sequestration and storage and sustainable wood supplies. We work across a broad coalition of conservation partners, corporations, and policymakers to empower family forest landowners and make sure everybody understands, supports and values the work of these landowners. Learn more: forestfoundation.org
Related Articles
March 5, 2026
Statement: AFF Statement on the House Agriculture Committee’s Vote to Advance a Bipartisan Farm Bill
The Farm Bill is critical to the health and wellbeing of America’s forests and family forest owners. One in four rural Americans own private forests and look to federal programs and policies that support natural resources, wildlife habitat, and water quality. We appreciate the Committee’s commitment to family forest owners in the Farm, Food, and National Security Act.
February 12, 2026
Fields & Forests Plants its Millionth Tree
AFF celebrated the millionth planting on recently enrolled landowner Portia Fulford’s property near Montgomery, Alabama. AFF was joined by several key partners, including the Arbor Day Foundation, the Alabama Forestry Commission, the Alabama Forestry Association, Help for Landowners, and Funga.
February 2, 2026
AFF Statement on GHG Protocol Land Sector & Removals Standard
The exclusion of forests from the LSR Standard increases the risk of sidelining one of the most mature and impactful pathways for near-term mitigation.