The Forest Landowners Association (FLA) applauds Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and the Senate Agriculture Committee for unveiling the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act of 2024, commonly known as the Farm Bill. This landmark legislation provides essential support for rural economies, conservation initiatives, and disaster recovery, delivering critical tools for private forest landowners. FLA is…
The Forest Landowners Association (FLA), representing family forest landowners across 43 states, commends the recent bipartisan, bicameral efforts advocating for disaster relief following Hurricane Helene. These initiatives align with FLA’s ongoing work to develop a robust safety net for private forest landowners. Scott Jones, FLA’s CEO, emphasized the critical nature of these efforts: “Recent natural…
On September 10th, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Western Caucus Chairman Dan Newhouse (R-WA) introduced the ESA Amendments Act of 2024 (H.R. 9533). This bill would provide much-needed reform to the Endangered Species Act to incentivize species recovery and promote collaborative species conservation on private and public lands. When it was…
This year, FLA launched an on-the ground initiative to meet with our State Engagement Team members and other interested parties in their home states to grow our grassroots engagement. Government Affairs on the Ground: FLA’s Grassroots Tour Amidst shifting markets, regulations and legislative landscapes, private forest landowners across the country are face mounting pressure and…
On October 3, 2023, FLA conducted a Timber Talk that showcased the journey of longleaf pine from the seedling to the stands. The event included a half-day program and tour at the new IFCO nursery in Windsor, South Carolina, followed by a half-day tour of family landowner Ben Christensen’s longleaf pine straw operations. At the…
A rule expanding the definition of bodies of waters subject to federal environmental protections remains in place after the House failed to override President Joe Biden’s veto of a measure that would have repealed it. On Tuesday, the House passed a disapproval resolution by a vote of 227-196. While this fell short of the two-thirds…
Update On April 10, FLA submitted comments to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding this proposal. While we are encouraged by the efforts of the Service to streamline permitting and conservation agreements, we urge the Service to consider additional revisions that would further improve the regulations and help landowners better achieve collaborative species conservation…
On December 30, the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S Department of the Armyreleased a notice of their final rule defining Waters of the United States (WOTUS). The final rule relies largely on pre-2015 guidance: starting with the 1986 regulations as a baseline and updated to include limitations by the Supreme Court on federal jurisdiction since…
Update: Effective Date Delayed Until March 31, 2023The effective date of the final rule to reclassify the northern long-eared bat as endangered has been delayed until March 31, 2023. The Service notes that the delay is necessary to finalize conservation tools and guidance documents to avoid confusion and disruption with members of the public and…
In October 2022, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed to designate 209,520 acres of forestland in Louisiana and Texas as critical habitat for the Louisiana Pinesnake. 72,925 acres of this proposed designation are privately owned, including 2,716 acres of unoccupied private land designated for reintroduction efforts on adjacent National Forest land. FLA prepared comments…