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Risch helps launch Working Forest Caucus |
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April 6, 2017 |
On Wednesday, U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-ID) and
Angus King (I-ME), joined by a bipartisan group
of senators, launched the new Senate Working
Forests Caucus. The Caucus, which has 11
inaugural members, will serve as a forum for
policies that promote and preserve America’s
working forests.
“Most working forests – over 70 percent
nationally – are privately owned by families,
who have passed down their operation from
generation to generation” said Senator Risch, a
graduate of the University of Idaho's College of
Forestry. “This caucus will serve as a resource
to those families and communities who rely on
working forests, while advancing policies that
support and encourage responsible, active forest
management.”
“Like many states, Maine’s forest products
industry has always been a rich part of our
heritage, and today, it remains a critical part
of our economy,” Senator King said. “Generations
of Maine families have made their living by
working in the forest, and it’s crucial that we
continue to support policies that will foster
growth in the forest products sector for years
to come. I look forward to partnering with
Senator Risch and our colleagues to advance the
interests of forest workers and strengthen rural
communities through the work of this caucus.”
Private working forests support more than 2.4
million jobs nationally, including equipment
suppliers and service and transportation
providers. Through the Senate Working Forests
Caucus, members will work to advance policies
that support active forest management, restore
national forest lands into healthy,
fire-tolerant forests, and help bring
much-needed natural resources into the
marketplace.
“This is a vital forum for members of the Senate
to educate their colleagues on the importance of
working forests to constituents and communities
in every state,” said Dave Tenny, founding
President and CEO of the National Alliance of
Forest Owners (NAFO), an organization devoted to
promoting the benefits of private forests in
federal policy. “We are grateful to Senators
Risch and King for their leadership and to their
colleagues for supporting our nation’s working
forests, the communities they support, and the
good men and women who work so hard to manage
them responsibly.”
Today, ahead of the caucus launch, Senators
Risch and King toured the National Building
Museum’s exhibit, Timber City. According to the
museum’s website, “The exhibition demonstrates
the many advantages offered by cutting-edge
methods of timber construction, including
surprising strength, fire resistance,
sustainability, and beauty.” |
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