ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-fifth Legislature

Second Regular Session

HCR2038: supporting proper forest management

Sponsor: Representative Griffin, LD 14

Committee on Natural Resources, Energy & Water

Overview

Declares the Legislature's support for a reasonable and prudent multiple-use forest management policy to improve forest health around the United States.

History

The United States Forest Service (USFS) manages the National Forest System which consists of lands including national forests, national grasslands, land utilization, project areas, experimental forest or range areas. This system comprises more than 750 million acres and covers approximately one-third of the United States. In Arizona, there are six national forests that make up about 11.25 million acres of land.

The USFS manages these lands for a variety of reasons including outdoor recreation, range, timber, watershed and wildlife and fish purposes (16 U.S.C. § 528). Additionally, the renewable surface resources on these lands are developed under the principles of multiple use and sustained yield (16 U.S.C. § 529). This approach requires utilizing these resources to meet the needs of the American people without impairing the productivity of the land, which includes making use of the land for resources or services with consideration to the value of resources and not the greatest dollar return (16 U.S.C. § 531).

The USFS is also required to engage in long-term land use and resource management plans with public participation to provide a framework for land management, uses and protection (16 U.S.C. § 1604).

Provisions

1. Declares the Legislature's support for a reasonable and prudent multiple-use forest management policy to improve forest health around the United States.

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5. HCR 2038

6. Initials PAB/KM Page 0 Natural Resources, Energy & Water

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