As November’s election approaches, the battle over how we manage national forests heats up, but the day-to-day work in these forests is likely to stay on course.
The Forest Service’s work, including logging and fire management, is expected to continue regardless of election outcomes.
Major funding from the Inflation Reduction Act and the bipartisan infrastructure law will keep driving forest management projects, though future funding could be uncertain.
The biggest policy divide may focus on protecting old-growth forests, with Democrats likely pushing for more conservation and Republicans favoring resource management.
Key quote:
“There isn’t much controversy over the need to do more to improve the health of the national forests.”
— Bill Imbergamo, executive director of the Federal Forest Resource Coalition
Why this matters:
No matter the outcome of this fall's elections, the U.S. Forest Service's operations will roll on, driven by its army of career employees, not political appointees. Emphasis on a fire-first approach exemplifies the challenge of balancing immediate threats with long-term forest health. Read more: The push for standing forest protections in US climate policy.
As native trees in the Pacific Northwest die off due to climate changes, the U.S. Forest Service and others are turning to a strategy called “assisted migration.”
The Breakthrough Institute’s Patrick Brown said that, in a quest for a “clean narrative,” editors and reviewers of studies ignore factors beyond climate change.
