Governor Little issued an executive order Tuesday titled the “Make Forests Healthy Again Act,” directing the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) to expand its partnership with the U.S. Forest Service.
The Governor’s new directive is intended to complement a March 1 executive order issued by President Trump called the “Freeing our Forests Act,” and a memo released by USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins aimed at improving forest health and minimizing wildfire risk through increased management of federal forests.
โI commend Governor Little for acting quickly to fix our national forest emergency. Americans rely on Idahoโs productive and abundant forests, and this executive order will go a long way towards strengthening the timber industry in the state and minimizing harmful pests, disease, and risk of fire,โ U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins said.
Governor Little’s executive order expands on what previously was only a very small section of national forests in Idaho, where IDL could assist the federal government. The State of Idaho’s Forest Action Plan and fire risk map will help identify the forests in greatest need of management due to disease, which can then be targeted for fuel reduction projects.
