Greater support for state forestry agencies and their work to sustain, enhance, and protect America’s forests is needed now more than ever.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, an ailing national economy, and a substantial backlog in federal forest management and rural infrastructure maintenance, the nation’s state foresters have put forth a policy platform designed to bolster the forestry supply chain in the United States.
The platform is divided into three sections. The first articulates how Congress can “meet immediate state forestry needs” by providing an additional $500 million (with added spending flexibility) to state forestry agencies for federal State and Private Forestry program implementation.
The second section of the platform relays how Congress can “drive economic recovery nationwide” with a loan program for loggers and timber haulers, sustainable building tax credits to support forest product manufacturers, and investments in rural roads and bridges, among other recommendations.
The third and final section lists legislative options that can help America’s forest landowners recover from natural disasters, put Americans back to work restoring natural resources, and sustain rural schools and communities dependent on timber revenues.
Click the links below to learn more about NASF’s COVID-19 stimulus platform.