News Category: Forestry

Why It Matters: Legislation restricting forest management on State Demonstration Forests undermines the State Demonstration Forest System’s primary purpose, which is to educate the public about the benefits of multiple-use land management, including active forest management. They are called “State Demonstration Forests,” not “State Observation Forests,” for a reason. Dispelling misconceptions about forest management through education is essential for maintaining public support for […]

Why It Matters: Legislation that allows hunting and fishing on state public land to be banned based on a forest age class and prohibits sustainable forest management on Wildlife Management Areas, which are acquired and/or managed with revenue generated by sportsmen and women through the “user pays – public benefits” American System of Conservation Funding, sets a dangerous precedent and is […]

Why It Matters: Active forest management is more effective than passive or “hands-off” management for increasing forest resiliency, improving wildlife habitat, and increasing access for sportsmen and women. Legislation that prohibits or limits forest management practices, such as prescribed fire, is misguided and removes important tools for managing forests for wildlife. Educating policymakers about the importance of sustainable forest management to […]

March 18, 2026 (Washington, D.C.) – This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed four legislative priorities for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF): the Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act, the Mitigation Action and Watermen Support (MAWS) Act of 2026, the Post-Disaster Reforestation and Restoration Act of 2025, and the Save Our Sequoias (SOS) Act. Thanks to the active work of Members of the Congressional Sportsmen’s […]

Why It Matters: Legislation that removes management flexibility on public lands by prohibiting sustainable forest management practices threatens forest resiliency and wildlife conservation. Other Northeastern states have introduced similar bills in recent years, and it is important for the sportsmen’s community to continue voicing their concerns and advocating for policies that promote active forest management to support our sporting traditions that depend […]

Why It Matters: By reducing barriers limiting prescribed burning on private property in a state that is more than 83% privately owned, Senate Bill 886 will have a significant impact on wildlife habitat in West Virginia. Whether burning to reduce wildfire risk or to enhance habitat diversity, popular game species, including wild turkey, White-tailed deer, and black bear, as well as nongame species that […]

Why It Matters: Prescribed burning enhances wildlife habitat, improves forest health, and reduces wildfire risk. Reducing regulatory barriers to prescribed burning provides clarity for the state, local governments, and the public, while reducing inefficiencies and risks for prescribed burners and landowners. From the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Coastal Plain, Georgia’s forest resources and wildlife will benefit from increasing the use of prescribed […]

Why It Matters: The proposed forest health improvement treatments on the Green Mountain National Forest, particularly prescribed fire, support fire-adapted plant communities and promote species (like oaks) that are critical for wildlife. Fire suppression leads to changes in forest composition and structure and builds fuels, increasing wildfire risk to nearby communities. Environmental interests criticized the project, and it is important for the sporting-conservation community to support the work of trained foresters, biologists, […]

Why It Matters: Generally reauthorized every five years, the last full iteration of the Farm Bill expired in late-2023. Representing one of the largest and most important pieces of legislation passed by Congress, the Farm Bill covers topics ranging from crop insurance to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as Food Stamps). The Farm Bill’s provisions touch nearly all Americans […]

Why It Matters: Without proactive forest management, forest health declines and the risk of high-intensity wildfires increases, which is devastating for fish and wildlife habitat and can lead to public land closures that limit access for sportsmen and women. Forest health improvement projects not only reduce wildfire risk to protect nearby communities and support local forest industries, but they also diversify and enhance habitat for […]

Why It Matters: The addition of The Westervelt Company to the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation’s (CSF) Forestry Advisory Council further aligns a forest industry leader in wildlife management with other organizations dedicated to promoting sportsmen’s access and heritage, wildlife conservation, and sustainable forest management to support CSF’s advocacy for strong forest policies that benefit the forest industry and the hunting-conservation community alike.    […]

Why It Matters: Longer wildfire seasons, more frequent and intense wildfires, and other forest health stressors increasingly threaten forests, fish and wildlife habitat, and communities. Between 1990 and 2020, the Wildland-Urban Interface increased by 31%. Accelerating the pace and scale of forest restoration through the policy reforms in the Fix Our Forests Act would be a significant step towards reducing wildfire risk for communities and improving forest health, wildlife habitat, and access for sportsmen and women on federal lands.  Highlights:    More than 117 million acres of…