Many of us cherish our magnificent forests, and for good reason. They offer shade, beauty, joy and countless ecosystem services (anchoring soil, preventing erosion and stormwater runoff, cooling and cleaning our air, wildlife habitat … endless gifts).
That’s why we must oppose the Fix Our Forests Act, which is a deceptively named bill currently in Congress.
This is one of the worst forest policies we have seen in decades. Instead of preventing future wildfires, the bill would allow more logging of our oldest, most fire-resistant trees, potentially increasing forest fire risk.
The bill erodes bedrock environmental laws like the Endangered Species Act and National Environmental Policy Act.
One positive thing we can do is call our representatives in Congress and ask them to oppose this bill. Please speak for the trees — they enrich and benefit our lives; it’s time we show them some respect and long-term protection in return. And perhaps consider planting a tree to enliven your own little corner of the world.
Rebecca Canright, Rockport
