NAMPA, Idaho — In December, Idaho and the federal government agreed to ramp up forest management efforts across the state, including a marked increase in timber harvesting through a Shared Stewardship agreement.
Congressman Mike Simpson says making our forests healthier is a mission that requires the utmost urgency.
WATCH: U.S. Congressman Mike Simpson discusses the need for augmented forest management action
In December, Idaho News 6 Senior Reporter Don Nelson visited the Tamarack Mill in Adams County to get an idea of how the mill operates and what more timber would mean for their overall business.
Rod Krogh, the President of the Tamarack Mill, told Nelson last year that they can always use more timber, especially as the industry becomes more specialized and fewer mills remain in operation.
Congressman Mike Simpson says Forest management has been a priority in Washington for years.
"We need to do better management in our forests. I think the Forest Service agrees with that," said Simpson, who added that federal and state bodies continue to improve coordinated efforts.
The new agreement between Idaho and the Federal Government, according to state officials, establishes a framework to strengthen forest restoration, land management, and wildfire mitigation policies.
When asked what the main tactic is for reducing excess biofuels in our forests, Rep. Simpson replied, "It used to be we did a lot more prescribed burns when native tribes did this; they actually burned lands off for that very purpose to get rid of the undergrowth and that kind of stuff, so they didn't have these huge fires. We need to get back to doing some of that more, and that's part of management."
Simpson added that western states face a growing urban wildland interface, with more people building homes in and near forests.
"And so consequently, when a forest fire starts, all of a sudden you've got these houses out there in these forests that we spend more time trying to protect those houses and people in those houses than we do actually trying to put the fire out," explained Rep. Simpson.
State forestry officials say the agreement could double the output of sustainable timber in the coming years.
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