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Florida State Forester and National Association of State Foresters (NASF) president Jim Karels recently urged a House panel to support NASF recommendations for USDA Forest Service (USFS) program funding levels.

Speaking to the House Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Karels spoke about the critical need to support USFS State and Private Forestry (S&PF) programs and the State Fire Assistance program. These programs leverage state and partner resources to protect and sustainably manage non-federal forests.

“State foresters deliver technical and financial assistance, along with forest health, water and wildfire protection for more than two-thirds of the nation’s 751 million acres of forests. The Forest Service S&PF mission area provides vital support to deliver these services, which contribute to the socioeconomic and environmental health of rural and urban areas,” Karels told the panel.

“S&PF programs provide a significant return on the federal investment by leveraging the boots-on-the-ground and financial resources of state agencies to deliver assistance to forest landowners, tribes, and communities. As federal and state governments continue to face financial challenges, state foresters, in partnership with the S&PF mission area of the Forest Service, are best positioned to maximize effectiveness of available resources by focusing work on priority forest issues where resources are needed most.”

“Your support of the following programs is critical to helping states address the many and varied challenges outlined in Forest Action Plans,” Karels said.

From the National Association Of State Foresters: https://www.stateforesters.org/florida-state-forester-urges-congressional-leaders-continue-support-usda-forest-service-programs