New Bill Aims to Replant Forest Devastated by Wildfire

Oregon Representative Greg Walden was in Medford on Wednesday, to discuss the Resilient Federal Forests Act. The proposed bill would aim to replant forest areas affected by wildfire.

The plan would reforest 75 percent wildfire devastated areas on federal land, compared to the current 3 percent rate. According to Rep. Walden, the work would be done by local, private sector employers, creating more jobs.

“More people would have more opportunity to have a bigger say in what happens in our communities to make our forests more healthy, and less risk to fire,” Rep. Walden said. “And the forest service would have a streamlined process to go do the work.”

Rep. Walden said the funding would come from moderate timber production and thinning of over-forested areas. The bill passed in the House in late July, and will be heard next in the Senate.

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