The national forests are frequently judged on two criteria: How many board feet of timber they produce and how much the government spends to fight wildfires, says the Center for American Progress, a nonpartisan policy institute. In a report, it says the 2018 farm bill could create rural jobs, protect drinking water and wildlife, and reduce fire risks by doubling forest restoration work.
“An additional 2 million acres of targeted forest restoration every year — essentially doubling the current rate on national — could directly create more than 40,000 new jobs, mainly in rural communities,” says the report, which says the work would preserve water quality, improve wildlife habitat and mitigate fire hazards. The report echoes complaints of policymakers for the past few years that to cover the high cost of fighting wildfires, the Forest Service is forced to raid its accounts for forest health. The center also suggests partnerships with utilities, businesses and states to bring additional investment into national forests.
“Forests are a critical part of the nation’s natural infrastructure and maintaining the services they provide requires investment beyond the traditional timber considerations that have shaped their current forms,” says the report. “Encouraging partnerships with drinking water utilities and other innovative uses of forest resources will help ensure that local communities can take full advantage of what forests have to offer.” Restoration can range from reintroduction of native plants to mechanical thinning of forests and removal of invasive species.
In early September, Forest Service spending on wildfires topped $2 billion, making 2017 the most expensive year on record. Wildfires burned 8.8 million acres so far this year, compared to the 10-year average of 6 million acres. More than 10,000 firefighters and support workers in California “continue to make progress toward containment goals on six large fires,” said the National Interagency Fire Center. Large fires also were burning in Montana, Oregon and West Virginia.