Forest management has become a topic of interest for many Americans in the aftermath of the tragic fires that have plagued Southern California.  Introduced in the last Congress in 2024 by Rep. Bruce Westerman, [R-AR-4], the House has passed this bipartisan, common-sense legislation that will improve forest management practices, strengthen the nation’s housing supply chain, and promote affordable housing opportunities for all Americans.  The Fix Our Forests Act (H.R. 471) will help improve the U.S. Forest management system by expediting environmental reviews and ending frivolous litigation that often grinds needed forest management projects to a halt. The bill now moves to the US Senate for approval.

Ongoing legal obstacles from numerous anti-timber ecological groups, as well as administrative barriers, have contributed to the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management’s inability to manage their lands effectively. Consequently, overgrown and poorly managed forests have dramatically increased the risk of catastrophic wildfires across the country, which are extremely destructive to Americans living in fire-prone areas and the forest ecosystem.  In our procurement area, the huge Oregon fire of 2020 burned 402,000 acres and forced one smaller Alder producer to exit the market.

Better forest management has positive ecological benefits along with the economic benefit of increasing the supply of federal timber products. Despite America’s vast timber resources, the United States does not produce sufficient lumber to meet the housing industry’s demand, requiring costly imports.  Because Cascade Hardwood is in Washington State and sources Alder logs in Washington and Oregon, any change in management policy should help us source logs.  National Forests in Washington total more than 9.2 million acres.  In Oregon, National Forests total over 16.7 million acres and reserve 24% of the state’s total land area.

Lumber and wood products are a major cost driver in housing affordability, accounting for approximately 15% of the construction cost for a single-family house. While the wood cost is significant, builders will note that the cost for all the trades, framers, plumbers, electricians, painters, sheetrock installers, and roofers has more than doubled since Covid.  The prices for all the nails, pipe, wire, paint, and insulation are up, and in most cases, significantly more than wood products.  Any increase in the supply of wood would be welcome, but it is going to take more than increased log availability to prime the housing market.  However, the ancillary benefits of reduced costs for fighting fires and slowing the rapid rise in homeowners insurance will make this small step in common sense forest management the first of many steps needed to help housing.

Next up is over-regulation in all parts of the building process.