November 7, 2009

Responsible Management of Forest Resources

As the senior senator from a state with a legacy of forest management, Senator Wyden knows how crucial it is to take care of the nation's forests. In his role as chairman of the Senate Public Lands and Forest Subcommittee, he is uniquely positioned to lead the country toward a future that includes responsible forest management. Today, the health of many public forests is poor. Many second-growth plantation forests are overstocked, badly in need of attention and in increasingly severe danger of catastrophic fire. Senator Wyden is working to get ahead of the problem by pushing the land management agencies to thin overstocked, fuel-laden forests before fire overtakes them. Senator Wyden also believes that it is essential to provide protection for old growth and roadless areas, while focusing on restoring the many forests at risk.

While the management of public lands has often been contentious, Senator Wyden continues to bring both sides together to reduce conflicts without abandoning his core values. He has consistently supported the national effort, begun by the Clinton administration, to permanently protect over 58 million acres of roadless areas and will continue to work for additional safeguards for the nation's roadless areas.

In the 110th Congress, he put forth a proposal to end the unproductive fights over how best to care for forests by offering a conceptual draft of the Oregon Forest Restoration and Old Growth Protection Act for public comment.

With this proposal and his ongoing work as Subcommittee Chair, Senator Wyden will continue to work in the 111th Congress to ensure that old growth stands are not unnecessarily targeted while ecologically less significant growth stands are available for timber harvest. Senator Wyden believes the protection of these unspoiled areas can produce gains for fish runs, habitat and watershed quality while offering the potential for valuable job growth in Oregon's rural communities.

Senator Wyden will continue working to find balanced solutions that protect Oregon's forests and improve their health.

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