The U.S. Forest Service: A Mandate to Assist Non-Federal Lands
Dateline: 5/31/98
M arvin Brown, National Association of State Foresters
President, appeared before the House Agriculture Committee supporting increased funding
that was not provided for by the existing proposed budget. More investment in
non-Federal lands to the tune of $250 million was suggested by Brown; mainly in the Forest Inventory and Analysis
program (FIA), wildland fuel hazard reduction, and all State and Private Forestry (S&PF)
programs.
Chairman Bob Smith (R-OR) agreed with this by promising his support of additional funding to S&PF. Chairman Smith also expressed "tremendous dissatisfaction" with the Forest Service budget request. Smith indicated that, although Chief of the Forest Service Mike Dombeck says there is a need for the above investments, the proposed budget falls short and "the budget does not match the policy rhetoric".
Chairman of the Agriculture Committee Oversight Hearing, Chairman Bob Smith (R-OR) "The budget does not match the policy rhetoric" |
President of the National Association of State Foresters, Marvin D. Brown "We are skeptical, nonetheless, that the increases sought by the Administration will be adequate to achieve the goals of reduced inventory cycles and uniform inventory" |
Smith and committee member Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO) emphasized the dire need to put the FIA on a faster five year cycle compared to its current fifteen year cycle. This forest inventory sampling of all the nations forest has increasingly become less effective because of the time interval between surveys. The scary part is it's being neglected at a time that the National timber supply is under tremendous pressure to supply both domestic and exported wood. Without an adequate survey we are harvesting blindly with inappropriate knowledge of availability, growth, and removals if wood volume
NASF's Brown, in testimony, is sympathetic to the problems within the National Forest System (NFS). The "deep seated" financial and accounting problems will not be solved quickly. But the U.S. Forest Service has mandated obligations outside the NFS.
Brown testified in early May the following:
"... we are concerned, however, that the Administration's proposed budget for FY '99 may not be adequate to accomplish many of the goals the Chief outlined in his National Resources Agenda (NRC). The State Forestry agencies are directly responsible for delivering most of the $161 million in State and Private Forestry programs."
"The Administration has asked for $162 million for the State and Private programs. The NRC recently released a study calling for greater federal investment in our nation's economy and environment. The budget request submitted by the Administration does not begin to meet this need."
Brown further suggested that the Cooperative Fire program should be top priority. He stressed that this program was critical for the protection of life and property in rural areas. It is also an "insurance policy" for help when Federal agencies need fire fighting help on their on lands.
"As you are probably aware, NASF has lead an effort, supported by a broad array of groups, to encourage the Forest Service to take the lead on forest inventory and monitoring programs for the Federal government. They have, by far, the strongest mandate to do so of any Federal agency, and they have much of the necessary expertise to support the international Montreal Process Criteria and Indicators. We are happy to see the proposed increases for the Forest Inventory and Analysis and Forest Health Monitoring programs. We are skeptical, nonetheless, that the increases sought by the Administration will be adequate to achieve the goals of reduced inventory cycles and uniform inventory and monitoring protocols by all Federal agencies."
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