US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins (Brooke Rollins) has issued a secretarial memorandum declaring an "emergency situation" across more than 112 million acres (45.325 million ha) of US National Forest System lands. The memorandum was issued a few weeks after an executive order to "free the forests" and increase timber production by 25%, granting the US Forest Service (USFS) the authority to speed up access to timber harvesting in the regions and to carry out activities that reduce the risk of forest fires.
"For forests to be healthy, they have to be worked. Right now we are facing an emergency situation in our national forests. Our national forests hold large volumes of timber that are at high risk of forest fire. I am proud to follow President Trump's bold leadership in giving forest managers the authority to cut back restrictions and to prevent fires, insect infestations and forest disease risks. That is how we can strengthen America's timber industry and further secure the volume of resources in our forests and promote their growth," Brooke Rollins stressed
The order calls for immediate action by the US Forest Service, directing its regional offices to increase timber availability, simplify permitting, lift the existing restrictions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), reduce the administrative burden of sales and contracting, and work directly with the states, local authorities and forest product manufacturers. This will put in place a new approach under which the US Forest Service will provide its partners with a steady supply of timber.
A new head for the US Forest Service
In March, Brooke Rollins appointed Tom Schultz (Tom Schultz), a former timber industry executive, as USFS Chief Forester (he replaced Randy Moore (Randy Moore) in the post): "Tom is the right person to lead the US Forest Service at this moment. I know he will fight every day to restore America's forests," said B. Rollins.
"Tom Schultz and the excellent staff of the US Forest Service will work to deliver President Donald Trump's agenda of making America's forests healthy and productive."
In previous weeks Wood Central also reported that the US wants to increase its timber industry capacity by harvesting and processing a greater volume of US-grown timber. President Trump has instructed US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick to assess the industry's dependence on imported timber, which he regards as a national security risk.
"As we understand it, the Donald Trump administration considers timber to be part of a group of products whose manufacture they want to develop further within the US itself and which could be subject to higher taxes in future," reports Fordaq, writing about the new tariffs announced last week.