Why It Matters: In line with the U.S. Forest Service’s (USFS) National Active Forest Management Strategy that was released earlier this year, and trying to meet the goal of increasing the volume of timber sold annually by 25% over the next four to five years, the U.S. Forest Service recently announced several large forest restoration…
Why It Matters: The proposed silvicultural treatments will improve forest structure diversity across the landscape, which is critical to increasing forest resiliency to wildfire and other forest health threats. Healthy forests provide habitat for wildlife, clean and abundant water for fish and communities, and access for outdoor recreation. Highlights: On November 21, the Congressional Sportsmen’s…
Why It Matters: Voluntary conservation agreements are valuable tools for conserving private working forests that support fish and wildlife habitat. Combined, both phases of the Montana Great Outdoors Conservation Easement conserves more than 85,000 acres where sustainable forest management will continue to benefit forest health, wildlife habitat, and the economy. Notably and not common for…
Why It Matters: Prescribed fire is a cost-effective management tool that can be utilized at scale to improve wildlife habitat, increase vegetation diversity, and reduce fuel loads to lessen wildfire severity. Over time, fire suppression and reduced burning in fire-adapted communities on the Daniel Boone National Forest has allowed leaf litter to accumulate on the…
Why It Matters: After a decade of public input and planning to revise the land management plan for the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests, as well as years of planning for these individual habitat improvement projects, CSF is encouraged to see the National Forests in North Carolina lean into agency-wide goals to significantly increase timber…
Why It Matters: The timber harvests, prescribed burns, and other vegetation treatments in the Archer Knob Project will help correct the age-class imbalance on the George Washington National Forest, supporting species important to Virginia’s hunters, including ruffed grouse, wild turkey, black bear, and white-tailed deer. The project is also a positive indicator that the U.S….
(June 10, 2025) – Washington, D.C. – Earlier today, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) hosted a policy briefing on Capitol Hill that highlighted forest policy priorities for the forest industry and sportsmen’s community. With Members of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC), more than 75 congressional staff, and key conservation partners in attendance, the Federal Forests Management and Markets for Low-Value…
Why It Matters: Conserving private forests is critical to maintaining habitat for fish and wildlife as well as access for hunters and anglers. Whether it is a large tract of timberland or a small family-owned parcel, private forestland provides places across the country for sportsmen and women to recreate. The conversion of forests to non-forest…
Why It Matters: The Fix Our Forests Act would expand authorities and collaborative tools to support forest restoration treatments in high priority firesheds to reduce severe wildfire risk. Reforming federal forests management is a top priority for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) to address the wildfire crisis by enabling the efficient implementation at scale of…
Why It Matters: As wildfires continue to destroy communities and degrade forests and wildlife habitat, comprehensive forest management legislation to accelerate forest restoration is needed to improve the health of the 117-million acres of fire-prone federal lands. The bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act would be the first significant stand-alone forest management bill passed since 2003. …
Why It Matters: The wildfires in Western North Carolina, worsened by debris from Hurricane Helene, reinforce the need to actively manage forests to reduce fuel loads and improve forest resiliency. Litigation to spur a forest plan amendment is a continuation of coordinated efforts to stop forest restoration and wildlife habitat improvement work on the two…
Why It Matters: Without active management, forest health and wildlife habitat will decline as insects, drought, and other stressors reduce stand vigor while the risk for severe wildfire will increase, threatening nearby private lands as well as the winter range habitat that the wildlife management area provides for big game species important to Montana’s hunters…