On March 3, California Representative Doris Matsui (D-West Sacramento) and a bipartisan group of lawmakers — Representatives Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Kevin Mullin (D-CA), and Russ Fulcher (R-ID) — sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum urging the Department of the Interior (DOI) to develop a comprehensive strategy to address the growing reforestation backlog on DOI-managed lands. The lawmakers cited the increasing impacts of wildfire, drought, insects, and disease, which have left millions of acres unable to naturally regenerate. The letter calls on DOI to conduct a department-wide assessment of reforestation needs, establish a formal memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Forest Service to coordinate resources and expertise, and prioritize reforestation efforts through the Administration’s Make America Beautiful Again Commission. The lawmakers emphasized that timely reforestation is critical to restoring burned landscapes, reducing the risk of flooding and landslides following wildfires, and supporting long-term forest resilience.
For additional information, contact RCRC Senior Policy Advocate, Staci Heaton.