1) Advance working forest protection through Community Forest Grants
WALT urges the State Legislature to allocate $26.4 million to fully fund RCO’s Community Forest Program. Community-based forestry, in which residents are actively included in the development, governance, management and use of working forest land, can bring substantial benefits to health and wellbeing, generate local jobs and economic activity, enhance wildlife habitat, increase recreational access, and support climate resilience and mitigation. Funding the full ranked list of 10 Community Forest projects would protect over 16,6000 acres of working forestland.