Bill Overview
Title: Promoting Effective Forest Management Act of 2022
Description: This bill addresses forest health on public lands, including by requiring the establishment of annual mechanical thinning targets.
Sponsors: Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals affected by changes in forest management practices
Estimated Size: 25000000
- Effective forest management directly affects various stakeholders, including those whose livelihoods depend on forestry.
- Improved forest health can affect ecosystem services such as clean air and water, which benefit both local and global populations.
- Mechanical thinning as a practice can help prevent large-scale wildfires, benefiting communities in fire-prone regions.
- Local communities living near forests may experience changes in employment opportunities due to management practices.
Reasoning
- The budget constraints imply that while the policy might provide significant benefits, these will need to be concentrated on areas with the highest need or impact to optimize resource use.
- Job-related impacts will be highly variable; employees in logging may face changes, while employment in forest management may rise.
- People living in urban areas adjacent to public lands could face recreational access changes or improved air quality and reduced wildfire risks.
- The ecosystem services improvements from healthier forests could have wide-reaching effects, though subtle, across large populations.
Simulated Interviews
Forest ranger (Oregon)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is crucial for sustainable forest management and reducing fire risk.
- I expect to see changes in my workload but it's for the betterment of our forests.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 4 |
Environmental scientist (California)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Promoting mechanical thinning is a good start, but it should be combined with other ecological techniques.
- There might be better soil and biodiversity outcomes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Timber industry worker (Colorado)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm concerned about how mechanical thinning will affect small logging businesses.
- We need clearer guidelines to ensure fair access to resources.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
Community advocate (Washington)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy should consider impacts on low-income communities near forests.
- We need more input from these communities in the planning process.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Leader of a tribal council (Alaska)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our traditional practices align well with sustainable forest management, but they need recognition in policy.
- There's hope that this can bridge gaps between traditional and modern approaches.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Wildlife photographer (Montana)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I welcome anything that preserves forest health, as it also preserves wildlife.
- Thinning should be monitored to prevent overdoing it.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Urban dweller (Texas)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy has more relevance for those in forest regions, but I hope it improves air quality statewide.
- Forest fires reaching cities is a concern.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Firefighter (Arizona)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm hopeful this will reduce wildfire frequency and severity.
- However, implementation needs to be swift and efficient.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 3 |
Graduate student (New Mexico)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This act could be a case study in balancing environmental protection and resource use.
- Monitoring and evaluation are key.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Elementary school teacher (Michigan)
Age: 48 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Forest education can benefit from this policy through improved resource zones.
- Kids' learning experiences will be enriched by healthier forests.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $500000000 (Low: $450000000, High: $600000000)
Year 2: $550000000 (Low: $500000000, High: $650000000)
Year 3: $600000000 (Low: $550000000, High: $700000000)
Year 5: $650000000 (Low: $600000000, High: $750000000)
Year 10: $750000000 (Low: $700000000, High: $850000000)
Year 100: $1000000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $1200000000)
Key Considerations
- The initial setup and operational costs can be high, but long-term savings and benefits are anticipated.
- Coordination with local agencies, indigenous lands, and private stakeholders may influence implementation.
- Fluctuations in timber prices could affect the cost-effectiveness of mechanical thinning.
- Evaluating environmental trade-offs, such as carbon sequestration vs. emissions from mechanical thinning, is essential.