The National Association of State Foresters has submitted written testimony to the House Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies concerning FY 2022 USDA Forest Service Appropriations.
State foresters deliver technical and financial assistance, along with forest health, water, and wildfire protection to more than two-thirds of the nation’s 751 million acres of forests. The Forest Service State and Private Forestry (S&PF) mission area provides vital support to deliver these services, which contribute to the socioeconomic and environmental health of rural and urban areas. The comprehensive process for delivering these services is articulated in each state’s Forest Resource Assessment and Strategy (Forest Action Plan), which were authorized by Congress in the 2008 and 2018 Farm Bills.
S&PF programs provide a significant return on federal investment by leveraging states’ boots-on-the-ground and financial resources for delivering assistance to forest landowners, tribes, and communities. As federal and state governments continue to face financial challenges, state foresters, in partnership with the S&PF mission area of the Forest Service, can maximize our available resources by focusing work on priority forest issues where improvements are needed most.
Click below to read the testimony in full.