President Signs Healthy Forests Act

Billed as the strongest environmental protection law passed in three decades, the Healthy Forest Restoration Act was signed into law by President George W. Bush at a Dec. 3 ceremony at USDA.

  “Cattlemen are the original stewards of the land,” says Jeff Eisenberg, executive director of the Public Lands Council and director of Federal Lands for NCBA.  “That’s why we have supported this initiative from the start.  Our people are already out there managing the lands where they graze cattle, and this initiative will provide the additional support to better protect these lands.”

 The Healthy Forests Initiative arms local land managers with tools and programs to implement fuels reduction projects which will help prevent wildfires such as those that devastated southern California this fall. These programs will also enhance the safety of rural communities where many cattlemen have operations.

 By using the best science available, land managers can better control disease, weeds, insects and other pests, better protect delicate wildlife habitat and ecosystems, and improve the overall condition of our nation’s forests and rangelands. 

“The principles behind the Healthy Forest Initiative were not invented in the White House, and truthfully, not invented in the Congress,” President Bush said. “They are founded on the experience of scientists, forestry experts, and, as importantly, the firefighters who know what they’re talking about.”

 “Today’s ceremony represents a victory for everyone who cares about our nation’s forests and woodlands and is particularly significant for people who make their living on the land,” says Eisenberg. “Cattlemen look forward to working with agency officials at the local level to implement many of these programs.”