Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 200 / Wednesday, October 18, 2023 / Presidential Documents 71727 

Proclamation 10654 of October 13, 2023 

National Forest Products Week, 2023 

By the President of the United States of America 

A Proclamation 

For generations, America’s forests have been a source of recreation and 

relaxation for millions of people; a sacred place for Tribal ceremonies and 

cultural practices; and a source of livelihood for foresters, loggers, mill 

workers, carpenters, Tribes, local communities, and others who rely on 

forest products and healthy forest ecosystems to support themselves, their 

families, and their communities. This National Forest Products Week, my 

Administration recommits to conserving our beautiful forests. When we 

responsibly steward the abundant renewable resources found in our Nation’s 

forestlands, we not only protect the environment but also support a critical 

pillar of our economy that uplifts communities across America. 

From lumber and paper to clean water and fresh air, we depend on our 

forests to protect our environment and fuel our economy. But our forests— 

and the jobs and livelihoods of those who work in them—are endangered 

by a range of risks, including the existential threat of climate change. Extreme 

heat, more intense droughts, and decades of poor forest management have 

turned wildfire season into wildfire years—destroying countless acres of 

forestland and spreading smoky haze across our country. 

From day one, my Administration has been committed to maintaining the 

health, diversity, and productivity of our forests. In my first week as President, I signed an Executive Order establishing the ‘‘America the Beautiful’’ 

Initiative—our country’s first-ever national conservation goal—committing 

to conserve at least 30 percent of all our Nation’s lands and waters by 

2030 through voluntary, locally-led efforts across the country. Keeping foresters and farmers working across our country in a sustainable manner 

is central to this initiative. 

We are building on these successes with my Investing in America Agenda. 

Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are making our forests and 

our communities more resilient by removing overgrown vegetation from 

land near homes and power lines, improving evacuation routes in areas 

susceptible to wildfires, and finding and removing invasive species that 

can cause fires to spread more easily. With historic funding from the Inflation 

Reduction Act—the largest climate investment in the history of the world— 

for tree planting, sustainable forest management, and fire prevention, we 

are reducing the effects of climate change on our forests. I am proud to 

have increased the Federal firefighter minimum wage to $15 an hour— 

a critical first step in giving these heroes the pay, respect, and dignity 

they deserve. 

My Administration is also working to create more opportunities for producers 

of American forest products. With a combination of funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, my Administration 

is supporting American businesses that advance forest conservation and 

create jobs—awarding millions of dollars through the Wood Innovations, 

Community Wood, and Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance grant programs. These initiatives are expanding the sustainable and innovative use 

of American wood products and wood waste materials to produce renewable 


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71728 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 200 / Wednesday, October 18, 2023 / Presidential Documents 

energy, strengthening emerging wood markets, and supporting sustainable 

forest management. 

Our Nation’s majestic forests are at the heart of who we are as Americans, 

connecting us to something bigger than ourselves. Conserving them not 

only sustains a vital part of our country’s economy but also preserves a 

key part of the American story for future generations. During National Forest 

Products Week, my Administration recommits to safeguarding and stewarding 

our precious forests so that we, our children, and our grandchildren can 

enjoy them for many years to come. 

To recognize the importance of the many products generated by our Nation’s 

forests, the Congress, by Public Law 86–753 (36 U.S.C. 123), as amended, 

has designated the week beginning on the third Sunday in October of each 

year as ‘‘National Forest Products Week’’ and has authorized and requested 

the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this week. 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States 

of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution 

and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 15 through 

October 21, 2023, as National Forest Products Week. I call upon the people 

of the United States to join me in this observance and in recognizing all 

Americans who are responsible for the stewardship of our Nation’s beautiful 

forested landscapes. 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day 

of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-three, and of 

the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and 

forty-eighth. 

[FR Doc. 2023–23098 

Filed 10–17–23; 8:45 am] 

Billing code 3395–F4–P 


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