Hardwood Flooring February March 2018

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

By Dana Cole

New Forest Service Leadership Brings OPTIMISM, VISION, AND ENERGY

timber harvest programs, including those that provide raw materials to the U.S. hardwood industry, contribute to the overall health of the forest system. Thinning and fuel cleanup help prevent fires,

The focus in Washington D.C. is often on elected officials – the White House, the Senate, the House of Representatives – and their role in making and enacting federal policy. However, it is often those who hold positions appointed by the president or department secretaries that can have the most impact on issues of importance. On Sept. 1, 2017, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue, swore in one such individual,

provide needed wildlife habitat, and allow for recreational activities throughout the year. The

Tony Tooke, who became the 18th Chief of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). Appropriately, the ceremony took place at White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire. The USFS is a multifaceted agency whose mission is to sustain the health,

Federation has been a

strong voice for increased timber harvest

Photo courtesy of Paul Johnson

A skid loader operator uses a clipper attachment to cut down trees in a woodland thinning project for wildlife.

levels for a number of years, and we believe Chief Tooke is fully aligned with our vision that more forest management will improve the health of our federal forests. Late last year, Hardwood Federation Lobbyist, Pat Rita, and I were able to sit down personally with Chief Tooke and discuss our concerns related to current federal forest management practices. The meeting was very encouraging on a number of fronts. Chief Tooke clearly is committed to delivering more board feet of timber off our federal forest landholdings and has been clear with department staff that this is a top priority. He indicated that in late 2017, board feet production was trending upward in every region of the country and the USFS is committed to producing 3.4 billion board feet (BBF) off federal forests in 2018, with a goal of getting to 4 BBF by 2020. He went on to say that more timber has been sold during the last two years off the federal forests than at any time during the last 20 years.

diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. Those needs include economic support for communities surrounding the national forests, a goal that seems to have been overshadowed by other priorities during the last 25 years. Chief Tooke assumes this leadership role with 37 years of service to the Forest Service, starting at age 18. Before becoming Chief, he was the Regional Forester for the Southern Region of the USFS, responsible for 14 national forests. He now oversees 154 national forests and 20 grasslands in 43 states and Puerto Rico. The Hardwood Federation is encouraged by what we are hearing and seeing from the new Chief. He fully understands the benefits that

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