Forestry Law

The Forest Resources committee addresses virtually every issue that touches both private and public forest lands. We focus on all legal, policy and practical issues of interest to owners, lenders, trade associations, managers, users and others who are interested in forest lands. Through various programs, we provide information to our committee members that is not available from any other organization.

Established in 1905, the Forest Service is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Forest Service manages public lands in national forests and grasslands. Gifford Pinchot, the first Chief of the Forest Service, summed up the mission of the Forest Service— "to provide the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people in the long run." National forests and grasslands encompass 193 million acres of land, which is an area equivalent to the size of Texas.

The Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act authorizes long-range planning by the US Forest Service to ensure the future supply of forest resources while maintaining a quality environment. RPA requires that a renewable resource assessment and a Forest Service plan be prepared every ten and five years, respectively, to plan and prepare for the future of natural resources.

The 2002 Farm Bill authorized the Forest Service to launch a multimillion-dollar forestry program to further assist nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) landowners. The Forest Land Enhancement Program (FLEP) replaces the Stewardship Incentives Program (SIP) and the Forestry Incentives Program (FIP), while complementing the Forest Stewardship Program by providing cost-share assistance for management plan implementation.

The Lacey Act is a piece of US legislation which was introduced in 1900 to prevent transportation of illegally captured wildlife across state lines. It has been amended several times, most recently in June 2008 when US Congress agreed to extend the Act to timber products. This made the US the first country to legislate against the handling of timber which is illegal according to the laws of the country the timber originated from.

The first of the environmental protection laws was the Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act of 1960. Its purpose was to ensure that all possible uses and benefits of the national forests and grasslands would be treated equally. The "multiple uses" included outdoor recreation, range, timber, watershed, and wildlife and fish in such combinations that they would best meet and serve human needs.

he National Forest Management Act (NFMA) of 1976 (P.L. 94-588) is a United States federal law that is the primary statute governing the administration of national forests and was an amendment to the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974, which called for the management of renewable resources on national forest lands. The law was seen as necessary, because a lawsuit (commonly known as the Monongahela decision) had invalidated many timber practices in the national forests.

The North American Forest Commission (NAFC) is one of six regional forestry commissions of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) . Established in 1958, NAFC provides a policy and technical forum for Canada, Mexico and the United States to discuss and address forest issues on a North American basis.

The Weeks Act gave the Secretary of Agriculture the authority to purchase forested, cut-over, and denuded lands for the regulation of navigable streams and opened up the possibility of creating National Forests in the eastern United States.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress.

Law enforcement is an integral part of the overall management of the National Forest System. Law enforcement personnel, line officers, and appropriate staff ensure that prevention, investigation, enforcement, and program management requirements are fully integrated into all National Forest System resource management programs. Law enforcement personnel operate as full partners within the Forest Service organization in carrying out the agency's mission, especially in upholding federal laws and regulations that protect natural resources, agency employees, and the public.

The Wilderness Act created a system of wilderness reserves and specific management guidance for wilderness areas designated by Congress. Today there are 107.5 million acres of designated wilderness on federal lands and more than 35 million acres of that wilderness is on the National Forests.

Our mission - To promote the growing of renewable forest resources on private lands while protecting environmental benefits and increasing public understanding of all benefits of productive forestry. The American Tree Farm System® (ATFS), a program of the American Forest Foundation's Center for Family Forests, is committed to sustaining forests, watershed and healthy habitats through the power of private stewardship.

The Bureau of Land Management's mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

The Communities Committee is a nonprofit organization made up of a diverse group of people from across the United States who believe local participation in stewardship of natural resources is critical to both forest ecosystem health and community well-being. The Committee is comprised of urban foresters, environmental activists, private forest landowners, civil servants, forest stewardship practitioners, professional foresters, forest industry representatives, academics, and researchers.

Developed and maintained by Metafore, the Forest Certification Resource Center (FCRC) provides comprehensive, objective information and customized tools to a broad audience interested in forest management, forest certification and responsible wood and paper purchasing. This site introduces the concept of forest certification, provides information on the major certification programs around the world and describes the markets for certified wood products.

IUCN sees illegal logging and related challenges such as poverty and degraded forest landscapes, among others, as symptoms and results of weak forest governance that can only be effectively addressed through locally and nationally appropriate forest governance arrangements that enjoy the active participation and support of diverse stakeholder groups.

NASF seeks to discuss, develop, sponsor and promote programs and activities which will advance the practice of sustainable forestry, the conservation and protection of forest lands and associated resources and the establishment and protection of forests in the urban environment.

Founded by Congress in 1991, the National Forest Foundation works with the U.S. Forest Service to care for these natural treasures for the millions of visitors they receive each year and for you, and those who come after you. The National Forest Foundation brings people together to restore and enhance our National Forests and Grasslands. As the nonprofit partner of the U.S. Forest Service, we engage America in community-based and national programs that promote the health and public enjoyment of the National Forest System. We also administer private gifts of funds and land for the benefit of the National Forests.

Since 1916, the American people have entrusted the National Park Service with the care of their national parks. With the help of volunteers and park partners, we are proud to safeguard these nearly 400 places and to share their stories with more than 275 million visitors every year. But our work doesn’t stop there. We are proud that tribes, local governments, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and individual citizens ask for our help in revitalizing their communities, preserving local history, celebrating local heritage, and creating close to home opportunities for kids and families to get outside, be active, and have fun.

We provide leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, and related issues based on sound public policy, the best available science, and efficient management. We want to be recognized as a dynamic organization that is able to efficiently provide the integrated program delivery needed to lead a rapidly evolving food and agriculture system.

Forest stewardship issues and policies help to educate people about the role as well as the state of the forests in the surrounding areas.

Mr. Woody started nationalforestlawblog.com in 2008 based on the overwhelming demand for legal news and information about the National Forests. Mr. Woody has a special interest in environmental and natural resources law. He is a member of the Natural Resources Division and Forest Resources Committee of the American Bar Association.

The Roundtable on Sustainable Forests is an open and inclusive process committed to the goal of sustainable forest management (SFM) on public and private lands in the United States. Roundtable participants include public and private organizations and individuals committed to better decision-making through shared learning and increased understanding.

The world's tropical forests, which circle the globe, are interestingly diverse. Ranging from the steamy jungles of the rain forests to the dry forests and savannas, they provide habitat for millions of species of plants and animals. Once covering some 15.3 billion acres (6.2 billion ha), these tropical forests have been reduced through cutting and clearing by 210 million acres (85 million ha) between 1985 and 1990. All types of tropical forests are defined and their products and benefits to the environment are presented and discussed.

Articles written by attorneys and experts worldwide discussing legal aspects related to Environmental and Natural Resources including: agricultural law, animal law, energy, environmental law, equine law, forestry and fisheries, natural resources, oil and gas.