WASHINGTON D.C. — On Capitol Hill Thursday, a group of panelists from across the country met to discuss wildfires at the “National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands Subcommittee” hearing.
One of the panelists was from Ashland-based non-profit, “Lomakatsi Restoration Project.”
Executive Director, Marko Bey, says he was contacted in March to testify in a hearing about “Wildfire Resilient Communities.”
Bey says, as the only representative from southern Oregon, he discussed some of the work his organization has been doing successfully like controlled burns across the Rogue Valley.
He says he also discussed their organization’s philosophy. That being, to restore ecosystems and the sustainability of communities, cultures, and economies.
“We need to invest in workforce development, career building, incubating [and] local businesses because we’re looking at a pretty large undertaking to get these forests across millions of acres in shape,” said Bey.
He says it’s about accomplishing all these goals, but at the same time making sure you are protecting habitat, aquatic ecosystems, and places we really care about.
Bey says he’s honored by the opportunity and hopes the organization’s mission and strategy can help provide a model for others across the country.
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