Page 20 - Georgia Forestry - Winter 2018
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as the American Forest Foundation (AFF) have been working to create better awareness and understanding of the impor- tance of family forest owners and their significant role in our nation’s forests.
Led by AFF and supported by more than 90 forestry busi- nesses and organizations across the U.S., the Forests in the Farm Bill Coalition has put together a comprehensive set of recom- mendations for the 2018 Farm Bill to address threats to forests. Those priorities include:
● Growing jobs and rural economies through forestry
● Conserving and protecting habitat for forest-
dependent wildlife
● Encouraging landowners to keep their land in forestry
● Addressing fire and forest health
● Improving and streamlining forest and
conservation programs
● Supporting forest research, education and information needs
With such a broad set of needs and a myriad of stakeholders, AFF’s President and CEO Tom Martin stressed the importance of a unified voice.
“It takes the entire forest, conservation and forest products communities to care for our nation’s forests,” Martin said. “Whether advocating at the federal level for policies in the Farm Bill or on the ground working with all types of forest owners and across all boundaries — private, industrial, state and federal — we must tackle our forest challenges together at the landscape level.”
As forests in the Farm Bill are debated by Congress, the most important aspect of the argument will be focused on improv- ing markets for forest landowners. After all, strong markets for trees provide the highest incentive for private forest owners to keep their land in forests.
“Without markets for forest products, many landowners would not be able to afford their conservation goals. Worse, we would risk losing forests to development or other uses. Continued support for forest products, and a recognition of the value they provide, is critical to ensuring our forests remain forests and
provide all Americans with life’s necessities like clean water and air, places to hike, hunt and fish, homes for wildlife and good paying jobs,” Martin said.
To learn more about the Forests in the Farm Bill Coalition and to stay up to date on the progress of the Farm Bill, visit www.forest foundation.org/ forests-in-the- farm-bill.
Tom Martin
AFF PRESIDENT AND CEO
J
Willard D. Thompson
Ross S. Schell
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