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President's budget reflects difficult economic climate
Posted on Friday, February 5, 2010On February 2, President Obama released the expanded budget for the federal fiscal year 2011. The FY2011 President's request is 0.05% below the FY 2010 enacted levels, but represents a 4% increase for State & Private Forestry programs. The S&PF increase is due to the $100M proposed investment in Forest Legacy and relatively flat budgets for the other S&PF programs. Notable changes to NASF priority programs from the FY2010 levels include:
- a $2M increase to Urban and Community Forestry for a competitive cost-share grant program aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions in urban areas
- a $7M decrease (12%) to Cooperative Forest Health (includes S&PF and Wildland Fire programs) based on a proposed reduction of Forest Service monitoring and treatment of gypsy moth and hemlock woolly adelgid
- a $25M reduction (23%) in State Fire Assistance (includes S&PF and Wildland Fire programs)
- a $5M decrease in Forest Inventory & Analysis
NASF is developing its specific funding level recommendations, and will be working with House and Senate Appropriations Committees to work toward a final budget that reflects the importance of State & Private Forestry programs in promoting sustainable forest management and addressing national climate change and renewable energy concerns.
Study: Eastern forests growing faster in response to rising CO2
Posted on Friday, February 5, 2010A new study published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has found that forests in the eastern U.S. appear to be growing faster in response to rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The study centered mixed hardwoods representative of much of the those on the Eastern Seaboard. All are growing two to four times as fast as normal, according to a study. After controlling for other variables, scientists concluded that the change resulted largely from the increase in carbon dioxide, a major factor in climate change.
Roundtable on Sustainable Forests releases Action Strategy
Posted on Friday, February 5, 2010The Roundtable on Sustainable Forests (RSF) has recently developed finalized an Action Strategy that identifies challenges and opportunities within the forest sector and puts forward by nine recommended actions that can be taken now to improve the conservation and sustainable management of the nation’s forests. The RSF is an open and inclusive alliance committed to sustainable forest management on public and private lands in the United States. For more information visit www.sustainableforests.net/whatsnew.php.
VA Department of Forestry mobilizes teams in advance of winter weather
Posted on Friday, February 5, 2010In anticipation of this weekend’s winter storm, the Virginia Department of Forestry has assembled six strike teams and three incident management teams that will assist state and local governments in the event of any emergency needs they may have.
USDA, Interior form new conservation advisory panel
Posted on Thursday, February 4, 2010Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack have launched a new advisory council that will give hunters a forum for advising the government on conservation. The new Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council will replace the Sporting Conservation Council created under the George W. Bush administration, adding more representatives from hunting interests.
Editorial: Proper management of forestland essential to preventing devastating fires
Posted on Thursday, February 4, 2010An editorial by Mike Zupko, executive director of the Southern Group of State Foresters, urges residents of Florida's Treasure Coast to support and participate in the efforts of local state forestry agency personnel to minimize human impact and reduce the possibility of wildfire within the wildland-urban interface.
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