The bill – the Forest Emergency Recovery and Research Act – received strong opposition from some quarters with opponents arguing it was better to allow forests to come back of their own accord.
The bill will order that federal land hit by disasters over more than 1,000 acres should be restored within months rather than years.
“As Americans, we like our wood products’” said the bill’s chief sponsor Greg Walden. “We build homes and furniture from wood. So if you’re going to use wood, doesn’t it make sense to first use burned, dead trees rather than cut down rainforests in South America or other places.”
Michael Goergen, chief executive of the Society of American Foresters, agreed. “The key is quick recovery,” he said. “It’s not only cost-effective to restore forests immediately after a catastrophic event, but it also makes sense for the environment.”
