Timber jobs

In response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s July 26 statement on their efforts to create jobs in the forest sector, we applaud the Forest Service for their efforts to increase timber outputs from the National Forest System.

As this spring and summer’s fires have demonstrated, these forests need to be managed, and that management can produce valuable timber to help keep hardworking sawmill, paper mill and biomass energy workers employed.

We’re concerned, however, that Forest Chief Tom Tidwell and Secretary Tom Vilsack appear to minimize the role that our sawmills and paper plants play in keeping our forests healthy.

The National Forest System is accumulating dead and dying trees at an alarming rate, with growth exceeding harvest by a ratio of almost 6 to 1. With more than 40 million acres infested with bark beetles and other pests, our 650-plus member companies can provide jobs while restoring forest health.

We hope the Forest Service will not become so distracted trying to build a new — and uncertain — biomass economy that they will let their existing customers and our 350,000 jobs die for lack of timber.

Bill Imbergamo

Executive director

Federal Forest

Resource Coalition