USDA Announces Reforms to Protect National Forests and Boost Timber Production

On Friday, US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins issued a Secretarial Memo to establish an “Emergency Situation Determination” on 112,646,000 acres of National Forestry System (NFS) land.

The memo comes on the heels of President Trump’s executive order to expand American timber production by 25%, and it will empower the US Forest Service to expedite work on the ground and carry out authorized emergency actions to reduce wildfire risk and save American lives and communities.

The memo is part of a larger effort to ensure American resources are properly managed for generations to come. This work will support rural economies, reduce wildfire risk, and build capacity through workforce alignment and expanded partnerships.

The memo will also spur immediate action from the Forest Service directing field leadership to increase timber outputs, simplify permitting, remove National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) processes, reduce implementation and contracting burdens, and to work directly with states, local government, and forest product producers to ensure that the Forest Service delivers a reliable and consistent supply of timber.