House Natural Resources subcommittee weighs Forest Act to expand tribal role in forest restoration

The Subcommittee on Federal Lands of the House Committee on Natural Resources on Wednesday considered a discussion draft of the Fostering Opportunities to Restore Ecosystems through Sound Tribal Stewardship Act, or the Forest Act, a bill offered by Representative Hurd intended to expand tribal participation in cross-boundary forest management.

The chair of the subcommittee said the Forest Act “harnesses the profound knowledge and experience of tribes to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and make forests more resilient to drought, insects, and disease,” and described provisions to authorize tribal sawmill demonstration projects, extend stewardship contracts to 20 years and prioritize retention and expansion of sawmill infrastructure under stewardship contracting authorities.

The measure, presented as a discussion draft rather than a scored bill, is intended to promote active forest…