January 20, 2026 HFHC News Round Up
The Northwest Forest Plan Amendment and Its Impact on Timber Harvesting (Freres Wood)
The Forest Service is proposing to amend the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP). The NWFP is a forest management plan designed and authorized by the Clinton Administration in 1994 in response to rising anti-forestry activism and controversy around harvesting older and larger trees deemed necessary for the recovery of the northern spotted owl, which was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1990. The NWFP governs nearly 20 million acres of National Forest System lands, amending the land management plans on 17 national forests, and prohibits regularly scheduled timber harvests and restricts active forest management on more than 90% of those forests in Western Washington, Western Oregon, and Northern California. For the past 30 years, the implementation, or lack thereof, of the NWFP has resulted in federal timber harvest levels plummeting by more than 80%, hundreds of American wood-processing mills that relied on federal timber closing down, and tens of thousands of American workers ultimately losing their jobs, devastating their families and rural communities.
Gold Butterfly logging project has day in court (Missoula Current)
A federal judge is considering whether a Sapphire Range logging project can proceed when it might reduce habitat for old-growth species and after the Bitterroot National Forest has exempted 10 other projects without considering cumulative effects on elk. On Thursday, Missoula federal district magistrate Kathleen DeSoto heard almost three hours of arguments on whether the Bitterroot National Forest ignored some Forest Service requirements when it approved of the Gold Butterfly logging project along the western slopes of the Sapphire Mountains east of Corvallis. In August 2023, Bitterroot National Forest supervisor Matthew Anderson published his decision to proceed with the Gold Butterfly Project, which included almost 5,300 acres of commercial logging and 2,000 acres of noncommercial cuts. That was not much different than his original decision made in 2019, which he withdrew seven months later after the Alliance for the Wild Rockies and the Friends of the Bitterroot filed a complaint primarily challenging the logging of old growth.
Action Alert: Stop the Bill to Shut Down Working Forests (HFHC)
Sustainable timber harvests from Department of Natural Resources (DNR) working forests generate funding for schools and public services without raising taxes. They also support family wage jobs in our communities. These forests work for all of us. But politicians in Olympia want to shut down more state-managed working forests and instead sell carbon offsets and other “ecosystem services.” This proposal is part of Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove’s recent decision to remove 77,000 acres of state trust lands from future management, costing rural public services, the state, and DNR as much as $2 billion over time and dealing a major economic blow to Washington’s working families.
A Record Wildfire Season Inspires Wyoming to Prepare for an Increasingly Fiery Future (Inside Climate News)
In six generations, Jake Christian’s family had never seen a fire like the one that blazed toward his ranch near Buffalo, Wyoming, late in the summer of 2024. Its flames towered a dozen feet in the air, consuming grassland at a terrifying speed and jumping a four-lane highway on its race northward. As the fire raged, Christian sped his truck to his house on the plains where his great-great-grandfather began homesteading in 1884. Earlier that day, he had been working to contain the blaze he was now scrambling to catch, and he hoped that his wife, Sara, had managed to evacuate herself, their children and some of their animals. When he finally crested a hill overlooking his ranch, all Christian could remember seeing was scorched earth and fire.
USDA Workforce Fell by More Than 20,000 Employees in 2025 as Agency Prepares for Expanded 2026 Responsibilities (American Ag Network)
One of the least visible workforce developments of 2025 — the departure of more than 20,000 employees from the U.S. Department of Agriculture — became public just before the week between Christmas and New Year’s, a period that typically draws limited public attention. According to payroll data reviewed by USDA’s Office of Inspector General, 20,300 employees left the department between mid-January and mid-June, reducing total staffing from roughly 110,300 employees. The departures occurred as USDA prepares to administer an estimated $234 billion in farm, food, nutrition, conservation, and rural development programs in fiscal year 2026. That projected total does not include additional “emergency” assistance already announced by the White House, which is expected to require separate program administration, oversight, and compliance efforts.
Crapo: Secure Rural Schools Extension Provides Better Footing For Idaho’s Rural Counties (Crapo Press)
Thanks to the reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program in December, rural communities in Idaho and across our country are starting 2026 on sounder financial footing. Without the SRS program, many counties would fall short of the financial means to provide for integral community functions for local residents and visitors alike.
Wisconsin tribes oppose ending protections for roadless areas on national forests (WPR)
Tribes in Wisconsin and beyond are opposing the Trump administration’s proposal to end protections for millions of acres of roadless areas on national forest land. The U.S. Department of Agriculture wants to repeal the “roadless rule” that’s been in place for 25 years. Around 58 million acres, or 30 percent of national forest lands, are inventoried as roadless areas. The rule blocks logging and construction on 44.7 million acres, including 69,000 acres of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Wisconsin. When announcing the proposed rollback, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said the rule was “overly restrictive” and the change would allow logging and proper management to prevent wildfires.
Balanced Approach to Managing Florida Panhandle Forested Lands for Wildlife (AgClips)
As home to approximately 80% of State’s forested lands the Panhandle of Florida is a significant timber region. Forested lands cover millions of acres in the region. These lands play a critical role not only in wood production, but also in sustaining the state’s diverse wildlife. Known as “working forests” these lands can provide high-quality habitat for game and nongame species while remaining economically productive using principles such as forest structure, prescribe fire and timber harvest strategies.
Oregon bill aims for insurers to recognize wildfire mitigation steps (Capital Press)
Oregon lawmakers may require insurance companies to offer discounts to homeowners for wildfire mitigation measures, unless those actions are factored into their risk models. The increased prevalence of devastating wildfires in Oregon in recent years have raised costs for insurance companies, and by extension for insurance customers, said Dave Jones, director of the Climate Risk Initiative at the University of California-Berkeley. Scientifically-based measures for reducing wildfire risk are underway at the level of individual landowners as well as the broader community, but these haven’t yet translated to consumer savings, he said.
Timber CEO appointed to state council (News-Review)
When Toby Luther spoke with The News-Review last March about the evolution and future of the timber industry, he did not wish to talk about himself. The chief executive officer of Lone Rock Resources did want to talk about his staff, company and owners. On Jan. 8, the press office of Gov. Tina Kotek announced the members of the governor’s new Prosperity Council, and Luther’s name was on the list. Luther moved to the Roseburg area during his high school years, and returned in 2001 after graduating from Oregon State University with a degree in business administration and accounting, for an early career in the accounting profession. He was the chief financial officer of Lone Rock Timber for approximately eight years, and has been chief executive officer of the renamed, reorganized Lone Rock Resources since 2008.
OPOA Leadership Takes the Helm at Western Resources Legal Center (OPOA)
The Oregon Property Owners Association is proud to announce that Dave Hunnicutt and Samantha Bayer have assumed leadership of the Western Resources Legal Center (WRLC), housed at Lewis & Clark Law School. As a specialized practicum, the WRLC provides second- and third-year law students with vital, “boots-on-the-ground” experience representing real-world clients in the agriculture, ranching, forestry, mining, and energy industries. By taking the lead at WRLC, Dave and Samantha are ensuring that the next generation of attorneys enters the workforce with both the high-level skills and the practical perspective necessary to defend the rights of property owners and natural resource producers across the West.
Honoring the Life and Legacy of Paul Beck (AFRC)
The American Forest Resource Council mourns the passing of Paul Beck, a respected leader whose decades of service left a lasting mark on the forest products industry and the communities it supports. AFRC President Travis Joseph reflected on Paul’s impact: “The American Forest Resource Council mourns the passing of Paul Beck. Through his life and work, Paul inspired and motivated multiple generations of the forest products industry. He helped build and lead forestry associations, serving as an effective, passionate, and formidable advocate for the timber industry and working people. Paul was persuasive and funny. He was kind and generous. AFRC, an organization Paul chaired and where he invested so much of his time, is honored to continue his work and vision for our forests and communities in his memory.”
UN agency sees global signs of recovery for forest products (Pulp & Paper Canada)
The global forest products sector showed signs of recovery in 2024 following a steep decline in 2023, according to a report released late last month by the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). FAO’s statistics cover 77 forest product categories and 27 product groups in more than 245 countries and territories around the world. The report records modest growth across most major groups of wood and paper products, representing an upswing after a 14% overall drop in their trade in 2023
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