The Boone and Crockett Club welcomes today’s action by the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the Fix Our Forests Act (H.R. 8790) by a bipartisan vote of 268-151. Following is a statement by Boone and Crockett Club chief executive officer Tony A. Schoonen.
“The Boone and Crockett Club applauds bipartisan passage of the Fix Our Forests Act in the U.S. House of Representatives today. This legislation would allow the U.S. Forest Service to accelerate active forest management on our national forests—reducing the risk of severe wildfires, improving big game habitat, and creating jobs in rural communities. Active forest management such as harvesting trees, thinning dead and dying trees, creating fuel breaks, prescribed and managed burns, and creating defensible spaces are all effective tools to reduce wildfire threats and improve wildlife habitat.
“The Boone and Crockett Club has a long history with wildland forest management. In the early 1900s, we worked to develop and pass legislation that created the National Forest System and the U.S. Forest Service to manage these forests. This has continued into the 21st century, working with Congress and the Administration to create new tools—including establishing Good Neighbor Authority, speeding up project review, and fighting frivolous litigation—so that the Forest Service and its partners can get to work improving our forests and preventing catastrophic wildfire.”
###
Founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1887, the Boone and Crockett Club promotes guardianship and visionary management of big game and wildlife in North America. The Club maintains the highest standards of fair chase sportsmanship and habitat stewardship. Member accomplishments include enlarging and protecting Yellowstone and establishing Glacier and Denali national parks, founding the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and National Wildlife Refuge System, fostering the Pittman-Robertson and Lacey Acts, creating the Federal Duck Stamp program, and developing the cornerstones of modern game laws. The Boone and Crockett Club is headquartered in Missoula, Montana. Click here to learn more about the Boone and Crockett Club.
Read the full article here
