The NASF Washington Weekly Report

Climate

Study calls for more prescribed burns to reduce forest fire emissions

A new study published in Environmental Science and Technology found that widespread prescribed burns might have slashed fire-related carbon dioxide emissions in 11 Western states by an average of 18 to 25 percent between the years 2001 and 2008, and by as much as 60 percent in some forest systems.

Pests and Disease

Need for wood highlights invasive insect problems

Months of heavy rains throughout the South have made it difficult for large logging equipment to get into the forests for harvesting. Desperate for wood for its central South Carolina mill, International Paper Co. has begun harvesting from Virginia, New York and Massachusetts -- states infested with gypsy moths, which defoliate a million acres of trees each year in the U.S. USDA has promised to work with International Paper on moth inspections of trees imported to the South for processing to avoid bringing the insect to South Carolina.

Sustainable Forestry

USDA announces details and objectives of Office of Environmental Markets

USDA press release: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced new details about the functions and objectives of USDA's Office of Environmental Markets (OEM).

Estate planning book helps forest owners understand tax laws

The USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station has published Estate Planning for Forest Landowners: What will become of your timberland?, with practical information about tax and estate planning and techniques involving forest properties (PDF).  Landowners and others may request paper copies by emailing their name and complete mailing address, along with the publication number (GTR-SRS-112) to: pubrequest@fs.fed.us.

Forest Service acquires 112K acres of Montana forestland in Legacy project

The U.S. Forest Service took over ownership of 112,000 acres of former Plum Creek Timber Co. land this week in the second phase of the Montana Legacy Project, which saw the Nature Conservancy and the Trust for Public Land buy much of Plum Creek's western Montana holdings in trust for the state and federal government. The entire project encompasses about 310,000 acres.

Biomass Energy

Washington State passes forest biomass supply agreements bill

An effort to build a green forest biomass industry in Washington’s forests took a step forward as the Legislature passed the Washington State Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Forest Biomass Supply Agreements Bill. This executive-request legislation from Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark takes the next step towards creating a forest biomass industry from state trust lands.

Personnel

Oregon State Forester elected SFI board chair

Oregon State Forester Marvin Brown has been elected Chair of the independent board of directors for the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) Inc., which is solely responsible for the non-profit SFI forest certification program. SFI Inc.'s 18-member board represents environmental, social and economic sectors equally so it can meet the many needs of forests and communities.

MORE: An article in a recent SFI newsletter discusses NASF resolutions on certification and green building.

Understories

How trees are restoring hope to Armenia

Hundreds of millions of trees were lost during the last century's great deforestation of Armenia, a Massachusetts-size nation on the borders of Iran and Turkey. An initiative called the Armenia Tree Project  has been raising and planting trees throughout the country, supported by the international conservation charity WWF and BMU/KfW, the German Development Bank.

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