State managers are closer to the people. They are closer to the land and as a result they are very good stewards. The report also noted that state and federal timber management laws are different. While federal and state managers accommodate various uses of resources such as wildlife, timber, and recreation, state managers must take the long-term view. The most striking, important difference is that state managers have a long-term trust responsibility to manage timber on state public forests.
States manage as long-term trustees for the benefit of schools.
The money goes right into the classroom. The GAO also noted that the federal planning process is more complex, convoluted and costly. States on the other hand plan and then act. The GAO also noted that 40 lawsuits challenge Forest Service and BLM timber sales in the Pacific Northwest. Only three lawsuits challenging state timber sales were pending at the end of 1995.