Forestry Director Testifies at Tribal Forest and Wildfire Management Hearing

Cow Creek Umpqua Director of Forestry Tim Vredenburg recently offered testimony on behalf of the Tribal Government in favor of the FORESTS Act that is circulating through Congress.Vredenburg was a witness at the most recent House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Federal Lands, where congressional committee members were discussing a draft of the “Fostering Opportunities to Restore Ecosystems through Sound Tribal Stewardship (FORESTS) Act.” The FORESTS Act seeks to create legislation to help Tribes and federal forest management agencies collaborate successfully for the betterment of forests in wildfire-prone areas.

“This is not a partisan issue,” said Vredenburg during his testimony. “The Bipartisan Wildfire Commission Report made the recommendation saying that if we want to meaningfully address catastrophic wildfire, ‘Congress should provide the U.S. Department of Agriculture stand-alone authorities to enter into co-management agreements with Tribes that would allow the Forest Service to share, defer or transfer decision-making authority with or to a Tribe for management of Forest Service programs or activities.’ That’s what this legislation does.”

In addition to Vredenburg, the Deputy Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, John Crockett, also testified about his agency’s work with Tribes to increase co-management and co-stewardship opportunities.

“Any time we have the opportunity to have the Tribal voice at the table is a beneficial one,” said Crockett. “At the end of the day, as long as the landscapes are healthy, resilient to fire, insect and disease risk, that’s the win.”

Both Congresswoman Val Hoyle from Oregon’s 4th District and Congressman Cliff Bentz from Oregon’s 2nd District sit on the subcommittee.

“We keep hearing people say [wildfire season] is the new normal. We reject that. It doesn’t have to be,” said Vredenburg. “We have an opportunity through this bill to develop the tools to end the wildfire crisis and restore our nation’s forests. The Cow Creek Umpqua and other Tribal Nations stand ready to help.”