WASHINTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is putting $200 million on the table to jumpstart timber production, streamline forest management, and boost rural economies nationwide.
Announced on Thursday by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, the investment backs the Forest Service’s new National Active Forest Management Strategy. The plan calls for cutting red tape, modernizing outdated processes, and using long-term contracts to guarantee a stable domestic timber supply.
The move aligns with President Trump’s Executive Order directing an immediate expansion of timber production. Officials say the goal is to harvest 4 billion board feet of timber annually by 2028, a 25% increase, while also reducing wildfire risk and strengthening American industry.
The strategy includes fast-tracking environmental reviews, supporting new markets for wood energy and engineered lumber, and investing in partnerships across property lines through tools like the Good Neighbor Authority.
However, there are concerns about the long-term impact. While thinning forests may help reduce wildfire severity, streamlining environmental regulations could open the door to overharvesting and degraded forest health.
Other potential climate risks include increased logging and biomass production, which can release more carbon than they store, especially if reforestation efforts don’t keep pace.