(Jan. 21, 2025) – Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) of the House Natural Resources Committee has introduced the Fix Our Forests Act to advance active forest management, support communities, and increase resiliency to catastrophic wildfires. The Ruffed Grouse Society & American Woodcock Society strongly support this bipartisan proposal cosponsored by Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.).
The Fix Our Forests Act meets the increasing threat posed by wildfires in the U.S., facilitating active forest management and protecting rural forested communities by expanding federal stewardship contracts with partner entities for forest management projects. The forest management crisis is now compounded by climate change extending wildfire season length and increasing frequency and total areas burned.
“The wildfires currently raging in California are a sobering reminder that extreme fire incidents are more frequent, intense, and long running,” said RGS & AWS President and CEO Ben Jones. “The Fix Our Forests Act accelerates the pace and scale of federal forest management projects for healthy forests and healthy communities.
“The Ruffed Grouse Society & American Woodcock Society values opportunities to engage with conservation allies, including state agencies and the U.S. Forest Service,” Jones continued. “The Fix Our Forests Act enables collaborative approaches among federal, state, tribal and other entities to forest management that are grounded in state-of-the-art science and data. It lays the foundation for an approach that will facilitate healthy forests management and healthy habitat.
“We commend Chair Westerman and Representative Peters for introducing the Fix Our Forests Act,” concluded Jones, “and we urge the House and the Senate to advance the bill without delay.”
The Fix Our Forests Act passed the House in the 118th Congress in a bipartisan vote of 268-151, but it failed to gain traction in the Senate.
About the Ruffed Grouse Society & American Woodcock Society
RGS & AWS unites conservationists to improve wildlife habitat and forest health for ruffed grouse, American woodcock and ALL forest wildlife. We promote forest stewardship for our forests, our wildlife and our future. Backed by our community of passionate conservationist members, RGS & AWS employs a network of forestry management professionals to work alongside public and private stakeholders. The tenets of sound science in wildlife and forestry have guided RGS & AWS for over 60 years and onward.
###
Media Contact:
Katie McKalip
406-240-9262
KatieM@RuffedGrouseSoicety.org
