A Campaign for Forest Management

1. A Campaign for Forest Management

2. FUEL FOR THOUGHT • Forest Density has Increased 30% Since 1953 • Forest Mortality at a 50 Year High • 73.5% of NFS Lands Need Restoration (15 million acres!) • 85% of Annual Forest Mortality is on NFS Lands

3. “High Forest Mortality and Low Timber Removal Rates in the Western States Promise Hazardous Fuel Accumulations and Big Fires” U of I Policy Analysis Group

5. WildfiresinU.S.,AcresBurnedandNumberofFires,1960-2009 AcresBurned NumberofFires 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 s(line)usandFires rned(bar)AcresBurMillion n Thou 1960-64 66-69 70-74 75-79 80-84 85-89 90-94 95 -99 2000-04 05-09 AnnualAverageDuringPeriod

6. 1,750,000 Acres Burned in idaho in 2012 Over 90% was on Federally Managed Lands

8. PUBLIC SUPPORT FORACTIVE FOREST MANAGEMENT

9. Thinning and Harvesting Trees Helps to Reduce the Risk of Wildfires “Please tell me which one of the following statements most accurately describes your view about forest management and wildfires. Thinning and harvesting trees helps to reduce the risk of wildfires, so we should manage our forests in order to minimize the impacts OR Wildfires are a natural part of the ecosystem, so we should leave forests alone and let them burn when fires start unless homes, buildings and communities or people are endangered.” (Q29) May 2004 Nov. 2007 100% June 2010 79% 80% 72% 70% 60% 40% 25% 22% 15% 20% 6% 5% 5% 0% Thinning and harvesting trees helps Don't know Wildfires are natural 59

10. “Loss of Wildlife Habitat” Remains the Leading Concern about Wildfires “What are you most concerned about when you consider the consequences of wildfires?” (Q28) 34% Loss of wildlife habitat Damage to watersheds and water quality 32% 31% 18% 17% June 2010 22% Nov. 2007 May 2004 16% 16% 13% 14% Loss of homes and property Loss of forests and wood products Loss of scenic opportunities or recreation opportunities Smoke into the atmosphere 23% 8% 7% 7% 6% 6% 7% 0% 58 0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

11. The Cost of Wildfire • TAX DOLLARS Federal Firefighting Costs (Suppression Only): $1,740,934,000 in 2013 and $1,902,446,000 in 2014 Taxpayers spent $164.3 million in 2013 and $214 million dollars in 2012 fighting wildfires fighting wildfires in Idaho alone. • HUMAN HEALTH & SAFETY In an active fire year, wildfires in Idaho emit the same amount of carbon dioxide into the air we breathe as 4.7 million cars

12. Target Your Efforts

15. Idaho Forest Products Commission www.idahoforests.org Betty Munis ifpc@idahoforests.org