January 5, 2004

President Signs Healthy Forests Restoration Act
by James L. Cummins

Wildlife Mississippi recently joined President George W. Bush at a signing ceremony for legislation that will improve forest management, minimize devastating wildfires and improve fish and wildlife habitat. This legislation will also improve air quality and habitat for threatened and endangered species.

The bill that was signed into law was the product of months of hard work by the conservation and forest communities. Wildlife Mississippi worked closely with its allies in the conservation community and with members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate to ensure that the final product would help to protect, restore and enhance fish and wildlife habitat through active forest management. Many species of wildlife depend on a mosaic of different forest stand age classes and densities, including early succession habitats.

This law provides federal land managers with the ability to address our most serious forest health threats without compromising important environmental protections. A lack of proper forest management has caused undue stress, resulting in an unnaturally high risk of catastrophic wildfires and large-scale insect and disease outbreaks. This has resulted in excessive fuel accumulation on over 190 million acres of Federal lands.

This law creates the unique opportunity to recover threatened and endangered species and improve water quality through forestry practices. We can also take advantage of our nation's satellite technology to help detect pests and pathogens on forested lands, with an emphasis on hardwood forests.

President Bush said, "I appreciate the members of Congress...members who listen to the people, who know what they are talking about...starting with Senator Thad Cochran. Thad has done a fabulous job of getting the bill out of the U.S. Senate." "Wildlife Mississippi placed a high priority on enacting forest management legislation and worked to craft a bi-partisan solution," said W.A. Van Devender, one of Wildlife Mississippi's Trustees. "It was an awesome experience to be part of one of the greatest pieces of conservation legislation since the bi-partisan efforts of the 1970s and to work with Senator Cochran and President Bush on it."

"By his comments about his property near Crawford, Texas, it is obvious that President Bush cares passionately about fish, wildlife, trees and the land. We are glad he put some common sense back into forest management for the good of the forests and the wildlife that reside there," continued Van Devender.

James L. Cummins is Executive Director of the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation in Stoneville, Mississippi. Known as "Wildlife Mississippi," the Foundation is a non-profit, conservation organization founded to conserve, restore and enhance fish, wildlife and plant resources throughout Mississippi