The National Association of State Foresters has submitted its Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 appropriations recommendations for key federal state and private forestry programs to the House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. Click the link below for a full copy of the testimony or visit www.stateforesters.org/appropriations for more information about state [read more]

Texas, Montana state foresters relay to Congress the dire need for more hazardous fuel treatments. WASHINGTON—State Foresters Tom Boggus of Texas and Sonya Germann of Montana stressed the health benefits of minimizing the scale and severity of wildfires before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment yesterday. “There has been virtually no area of [read more]

By Parker Jones Wyoming State Forester and NASF immediate past president Bill Crapser testified this morning at Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee hearing on a legislative discussion draft of  the Wildfire Prevention and Mitigation Act of 2017. Crapser spoke about the need for active forest management on federal forest lands. The draft bill includes expanded uses for [read more]

By Parker Jones Today Jim Karels, Florida State Forester and Chair of the NASF Wildland Fire Committee, testified before the United States House of Representatives' Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment. Along with three other witnesses, Karels provided insight on active forest management techniques and other ways to prevent catastrophic wildfire.  The focus of the hearing was [read more]

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing tomorrow about the Wildfire Budgeting, Response and Forest Management Act of 2016 discussion draft. California State Forester Ken Pimlott will testify on behalf of NASF; check back on the NASF blog tomorrow for the full testimony. In terms of fire transfers and borrowing, NASF appreciates the [read more]

By Greg Pilchak On May 31st, Alaska State Forester Chris Maisch testified at the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Field Hearing in Kenai, Alaska. Maisch detailed the impacts of the 2015 fire season and offered recommendations for minimizing the negative impacts of wildfire on public safety and recreation, while at the same time [read more]

NASF Vice President and Florida State Forester Jim Karels testified Thursday before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies regarding NASF’s fiscal year 2014 appropriations recommendations.  Our priorities focus primarily on appropriations for the USDA Forest Service State and Private Forestry programs.  NASF testimony includes support for the State Fire Assistance program, the [read more]

This week firefighters and forest managers spoke at a briefing sponsored by the Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change. While wildfires affect the western United States most heavily today, changing weather conditions in the East might make wildfire a more frequent occurrence in the more densely populated areas along the Atlantic Coast. Joe Duda, Deputy [read more]

Last week Alaska State Forester and NASF Vice President Chris Maisch testified on behalf of the State of Alaska in front of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. He was joined by other forest experts and government officials to address the improvement of forest health and management on Federal lands.  Maisch spoke about [read more]

The U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing this week to explore ways to improve wildland fire management. Along with other witnesses, Oregon State Forester Doug Decker,  U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell and NAU’s Ecological Restoration Institute (ERI) Director of Policy and Partnerships Diane Vosick testified. Through the lens of the Blue Mountain Project in [read more]