Forest Products Modernization
Patrick Scott, Forest Service Fire Management Officer, and a Forest Service Public Affairs Officer look at a wood deck at a timber sale on the North Mills Area, Pisgah Ranger District, North Carolina. Forest Service photo by Cecilio Ricardo.
Purpose: A strategic effort designed to better align our culture, policies, and procedures with current and future forest restoration needs in order to increase the pace and scale of restoration, improve forest conditions, and improve efficiency of forest product delivery.
Forests across the nation are facing serious challenges. Insects, disease, drought, and wildfire all threaten forest health and productivity. There are an estimated 65 to 82 million acres of forest and grassland in need of restoration to lower fire risk and insect and disease impacts. In many situations, some vegetation management treatments, such as timber harvest, other mechanical treatments, and prescribed fire, can reduce these stresses. Having sustainable, healthy, resilient forests in the future depends on our ability to increase work on the ground today. Improving forest product delivery efficiency is critical to getting more work done on the ground.