AFF Applauds New Legislation that will Help Family Forest Owners Recover After Natural Disaster

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 28, 2019) – The American Forest Foundation (AFF), a leading conservation organization that helps America’s family forest owners care for their land, today applauded Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, Roger Wicker of Mississippi, Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Marco Rubio of Florida for the introduction and support of the Forestry Recovery Act (S. 1687). The Forest Recovery Act is a bill designed to help landowners in disaster recovery after events such as hurricanes and wildfires, and minimize economic and infrastructure forestry losses.

“More than 20 million families and individuals own and care for the largest portion of U.S. forests, a total of 270 million acres. These forests provide all Americans with important resources such as wildlife habitat, clean air and water, and wood for homes and products we use every day,” said Tom Martin, President and CEO of AFF.

“After a disaster, these landowners face significant financial barriers to restoring their woodlands. Family forest owners do not have access to affordable insurance like most farmers, yet forest owners face significant economic losses from disasters, like the estimated $2 billion in economic loss from Hurricane Michael. Forests of all ownership types are facing significant financial barriers to taking the necessary actions to recover and restore the landscape to forests again.”

“While such disasters are increasing in severity across the country, they are currently most destructive in the Western fire prone landscapes, and the storm-ravaged South, a key woodbasket for the U.S. as well as the global market. While properly managed forests are highly resilient, if left in a damaged state, these forests face further threats, including those from invasive species and wildfires, putting at risk not only the local economies but also the many benefits we depend on. The family forest owners of America applaud Senator Hyde-Smith for addressing these important issues with introducing the Forest Recovery Act.”

Specifically, the Forest Recovery Act allows forest owners who grow timber for the purposes of sale to deduct from their taxes the full value of the timber at the time of the loss. Under current law, the landowner is only allowed to deduct the adjusted basis value of the timber, which is oftentimes only a fraction of the stands current value. This discounts the time and work the landowner has invested, in many instances over decades, to bring the healthy stand to market.

A companion bill (H.R. 1444) was introduced in the House of Representatives earlier this year by Representative Buddy Carter (R-GA).

Just last month, roughly 50 Tree Farmers from across the county, many from disaster-affected areas, came to Capitol Hill to meet with their representatives to share their experiences and underscore the important role they play in providing for Americans. The Forest Recovery Act was a prominent topic in these meetings, stressing the need for strong policies that support rural forest owners after these devastations.

Contact: Caryn Stein; cstein@forestfoundation.org; 202-751-2447  

About the American Forest Foundation

The American Forest Foundation (AFF), a forest conservation organization, works on the ground with families, partners and elected officials to promote stewardship and protect our nation’s forest heritage. A commitment to the next generation unites our nationwide network of forest owners working to keep our forests healthy and producing clean water and air, wildlife habitat and sustainable.