Statement: Critical Wildfire Legislation Moves to Senate Floor
A view of a forest canopy from below
CONTACT: Kris Voorhees, Senior Director of Communications, media@forestfoundation.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rita Hite, president & CEO of the American Forest Foundation, issued this statement following the Senate Agriculture Committee’s vote to advance the Fix Our Forests Act:
“AFF applauds the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry for advancing the Fix our Forests Act. Catastrophic wildfires don’t respect ownership boundaries, making it essential to protect both public and private lands. In fact, there are more private lands at high fire risk than public lands in the West. Private lands are often the last line of defense to protect communities and critical infrastructure; nearly 90% of family lands are in the Wildland Urban Interface, or areas where houses and wildland vegetation meet. This makes it imperative that their landowners get the support they need. That’s why we’re pleased to see that this bipartisan legislation provides the USDA Forest Service and its partners with a host of new tools to address the multitude of challenges facing our forests.
We are particularly encouraged to see the expansion of the popular Community Wildfire Defense Grant program, as well as new tools for development of markets to help finance wildfire mitigation—both critical pieces to address this crisis, especially as shrinking forest markets make it more difficult for landowners to cover the costs of maintaining healthy woodlands. We're glad to see today's bipartisan committee action, particularly the support of Senators Klobuchar and Boozman to move this bill forward in the process and onto the President's desk.”
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About The American Forest Foundation
The American Forest Foundation is a national organization that empowers family forest owners to deliver meaningful conservation impact. The organization’s programs, the Family Forest Carbon Program and the American Tree Farm System, help landowners implement forest management practices to care for the health and productivity of their woodlands. To learn more about the American Forest Foundation and the Family Forest Carbon Program, visit www.forestfoundation.org.
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