PA State Forester and NASF Treasurer Ellen Shultzabarger delivered expert testimony in advocacy of the National Association of State Foresters’ 2023 Farm Bill priorities.
WASHINGTON, D.C.—On International Women’s Day, Pennsylvania State Forester and National Association of State Foresters (NASF) Treasurer Ellen Shultzabarger enjoyed a historical moment on Capitol Hill as the first witness to testify at the first hearing of the 118th Congress of the newly formed House Agriculture Subcommittee on Forestry, where she was recognized by fellow Pennsylvanian and Committee Chairman Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson.
Shultzabarger delivered expert testimony on Farm Bill forestry provisions and the role state forestry agency professionals play in managing and protecting America’s forests on all lands, public and private. Her remarks addressed the need to expedite forest management, forest health protection, and wildlife mitigation work across large landscapes.
State Forest Action Plans, Good Neighbor Authority, and the Landscape Scale Restoration Program were among the examples cited in NASF testimony. Other witnesses testified on behalf of American Forests, the Federal Forest Resource Coalition (FFRC), and the National Association of Counties (NACo). Leveraging partnerships, conveying a sense of urgency for needed action, and increasing the pace and scale of forest management were common themes throughout the hearing.
“NASF is grateful for this opportunity to represent national priorities and appreciates the forestry leadership of Chairman LaMalfa and Ranking Member Salinas, as well as House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson. Trees are America’s greatest renewable resource and need a strong forestry title in the Farm Bill,” said Jay Farrell, Executive Director of the National Association of State Foresters.
The full hearing can be viewed at:
https://agriculture.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=7553
Media contact: Sheridan Davis at sdavis@stateforesters.org