House Ag Committee Discusses Forest Management

As fires continue to burn up and down the west coast, members of the House Ag Committee are looking at what can be done to help prevent massive fires into the future. Many of those lawmakers agreed with Henry Schienebeck with the American Loggers Council.

"Sustainable fire management must continue to improve."

Management, including much more thinning of forests, and removal of dead and dying trees. Bill Imbergamo with the Federal Forest Resource Coalition said that would reduce the wildfire threat in the future but will take more money than is currently available.

"We urge congress to treat our national forest as critical green infrastructure and invest further increases in management focusing on mechanical thinning and harvest."

We are very hopeful that as congress considers an infrastructure plan that they see that there is a green infrastructure need in this country with we provide significant resources to accelerate hazardous fuel removal," added Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Currently, most forest management money is being used for fighting wildfires.  

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