A Call For Balanced Stewardship of Our Nation's Forests

As someone who finds solace and connection in the great outdoors, I believe in a balanced approach to conservation—one that supports both economic prosperity and the long-term health of our natural resources.

President Trump’s recent executive order on timber production prioritizes short-term industry gains over the long-term sustainability of our forests, placing an emphasis on deregulation at the expense of responsible stewardship. While I recognize the importance of utilizing America’s timber resources to strengthen our economy and national security, this order disregards key conservation principles—principles that have defined our nation’s relationship with its natural resources since the time of Theodore Roosevelt.

Roosevelt, a man of action and foresight, understood that our public lands and forests are more than just commodities. He saw them as a national trust, meant to be used wisely, not exhausted recklessly. His leadership laid the foundation for scientific forestry, sustainable land management, and the protection of critical wildlife habitats—values that remain just as relevant today.

As someone who has spent countless hours in the woods—whether on a quiet hunt at dawn or trekking alongside fellow veterans seeking peace and camaraderie—I know firsthand the importance of maintaining healthy, thriving ecosystems. Our forests are not just timber stockpiles; they are habitats, watersheds, and sanctuaries that provide both economic value and irreplaceable natural beauty.

This executive order takes a one-sided approach to forest management by streamlining logging operations without ensuring the necessary safeguards for wildlife, water quality, and soil integrity. By undermining the Endangered Species Act and reducing environmental oversight, we risk creating the same problems Roosevelt sought to prevent—deforestation, habitat destruction, and the loss of the very landscapes that define America’s wild heritage.

Responsible conservation is not about stopping industry; it’s about managing it wisely. We can and should increase domestic timber production—but we must do so without sacrificing the ecological balance that makes our forests resilient. Streamlining processes should not mean sidelining sustainability. We need policies that embrace scientific forest management, active wildfire mitigation, and strategic logging practices that maintain biodiversity and protect our hunting and fishing grounds.

Roosevelt once said, “The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased, and not impaired, in value.” We owe it to future generations—hunters, anglers, veterans seeking solace in nature, and everyday Americans—to ensure that our forests are managed not just for profit, but for permanence.

I urge policymakers to take a step back and reconsider the broader impact of this executive order. Conservation and economic growth are not mutually exclusive, but they require thoughtful leadership, not reckless deregulation. We must honor the legacy of those who fought to preserve our public lands—and that starts with ensuring that our forests, and all they sustain, are protected for generations to come.