When you have a monstrous problem like a pandemic you must go to the bank to pay for it.
This time printing money will not work.
In timber country the largest existing bank that we own outright is the national forest bank.
However these assets have been essentially shut down for the last 30 years without any congressional approval. They total 193 million acres nationwide which is larger than the state of Texas.
Little if any net return comes from the operation of these forests since much of the money is spent fighting fires each summer.
Also a tremendous amount of CO2 is generated into the atmosphere annually by these fires.
Access to fight them has been compromised due to poor road and trail maintenance and from the destruction of roads previously built.
When it comes to global warming we know that decadent old trees do not utilize CO2 like young forests which are more vibrant.
A regeneration/fuel reduction program is necessary.
The continued closure of the national forests in the West has caused the decimation of many timber towns and the loss of the tax base that had historically been counted on for the operation of local governments.
With young people begging and sleeping on our sidewalks, it’s time to put them to work in jobs in these forests just as they did during the Great Depression.
Wake up America.
We have a pandemic.
You have money in the national forest bank.
We should use it wisely.
Glenn Wiggins
Port Angeles