The US is now living in an era of eco-restoration where forest preservation is much more important than harvesting, according to the new chief of the US Forest Service.
Dale Bosworth, speaking at a fire and forest health conference in Boise, said the old emphasis on fire suppression and timber sales had been replaced by “forest management”.
He identified four key challenges for the Forest Service: the fire threat posed by undergrowth accumulation, pest invasions such as the bark beetle, loss of open space and the pressure of recreationists, particularly off-road vehicle users.
Mr Bosworth said community-based forestry was part of the answer, with a more flexible Forest Service reaching out locally and involving the public in decision-making.
