The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is one of scores of wildlife, conservation, agriculture, forestry and other organizations that support legislation to address the declining health of American forests and prevent catastrophic wildfires. Specifically, the Resilient Federal Forests Act would expedite environmental analysis, reduce frivolous lawsuits and increase the pace and scale of critical forest restoration projects.
Currently, more than 80 million acres of national forestland is overgrown, prone to fire and in dire need of active management.
Additionally, RMEF supports the Protect Collaboration for Healthier Forests Act, designed to protect much needed and collaboratively-developed forest management projects that reduce the risk of wildfire in national forests from court room obstructionists.
“Active management of our forests can significantly improve habitat for elk and other wildlife while also reducing fire risks. Unfortunately, many of our forests remain susceptible to insects, disease and wildfire because of lawsuits seeking to stop all management,” said Kyle Weaver, RMEF president and CEO. “RMEF supports arbitration to move projects out of the courtroom and into the hands of stakeholders. We see arbitration as an innovative way to turn down the temperature on conflict and restore collaboration and solutions to our forest management policy.”
(Photo source: U.S. National Forest Service)