Strategies for management and forest health are a priority for the Bush Administration. I look forward to working with the new Administration in honing our focus on forest health. I was in Washington earlier this year on several occasions and met personally with President Bush, Vice President Cheney and Secretary of the Interior, Gale Norton. I believe they are committed to addressing the health of our public land system, one based on science, not sound bites. While we cannot prevent drought, lightening strikes or hot windy days, we can prevent some of the devastating impacts that result from mismanagement and inaction.
Fire is a natural part of our ecosystem.
However, some of the fires we experienced last summer were not natural. They were not rejuvenating fires that cleansed our forest floors and invigorated growth. Fires that swept through the tree tops, sterilized the soil and wiped out entire landscapes and watersheds. They were fires that in some cases permanently damaged our environment. We must manage our national forests.