Timber harvesting, in combination with prescribed fire, is an important tool in restoring and sustaining our forests and associated plant and animal communities over the long term. Thinning unnaturally dense forests should be our first priority on national forest lands. Timber harvesting can reduce fire severity, but not the number of fires. Provide employment Forestry provides good jobs in the woods and mills. These jobs are very important to the rural areas where alternative employment opportunities are limited.
Jobs keep people living in and support our small towns.
Provide income for small landowners Without a market for forest products, small landowners will seek alternatives for generating income from their land. The wildland character and use of these lands will change if harvesting isn't an option. Some lands would be subdivided for home sites, other lands consolidated into large holdings. Hunting access could be more limited or expensive on the large holdings. Provide natural resources Americans use lots of wood each year - 75 cubic feet of wood per year per person.