EDGEFIELD, S.C. — The Fix our Forests Act has come one step closer to being cemented into law, as the US House of Representatives passed the essential forest legislation with great bipartisan support, a 279-141 vote amongst members of the House. The legislation — which is some of the most effective forest conservation legislation to come out of D.C. in decades — will address ongoing issues that slow active forest management and other conservation efforts on federal lands.

“The Fix Our Forests Act allows the NWTF and its federal partners, specifically the USDA Forest Service, to collaborate on a deeper level, cutting the red tape and bureaucracy that often occurs when trying to manage federal lands,” said Matt Lindler, NWTF national director of government affairs. “This allows us, the Forest Service and numerous land-owning entities to work at the pace and scale necessary to address the urgent forest restoration work needed to conserve and safeguard our nation’s natural resources. We look forward to the Senate adopting this critical piece of legislation and await the signature from the president.”

The bipartisan legislation was re-introduced for the 119th Congress by House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA).

Since 2000, over 164 million acres have been ravaged by wildfire, and the U.S. has experienced some of the most devastating wildfires on record. More than 8.9 million acres burned in 2024 alone. Over 117 million acres of federal forests are vulnerable to wildfire due to their overgrown, unmanaged state. This threatens more than 44 million homes and the communities in and around these forests.

The provisions of the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act will help the NWTF and many other partners move the needle and bring our nation’s forests back into a healthy and resilient state that benefits water resources, wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation and the local communities that depend on them.

The bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act of 2025 provides these potential solutions to challenges forest and land managers currently face: 

  • Simplify and expedite environmental reviews to reduce costs and planning times for critical forest management projects while maintaining rigorous environmental standards. 
  • Make communities more resilient to wildfire by coordinating existing grant programs and furthering new research. 
  • Promote federal, state, tribal and local collaboration by creating a new Fireshed Center and codifying the Shared Stewardship initiative. 
  • Stop frivolous litigation and endless agency consultations that delay needed forest management activities. 
  • Give agencies new emergency tools to restore watersheds, protect communities in the wildland-urban-interface and prevent forest conversion. 
  • Utilize state-of-the-art science to prioritize the treatment of forests at the highest risk of wildfire. 
  • Incentivize forest management projects of up to 10,000 acres to increase the pace and scale of addressing wildfire, drought, insects and disease. 
  • Revitalize rural economies by strengthening tools such as Good Neighbor Authority and Stewardship Contracting. 
  • Adopt new and innovative technologies to address forest health threats and suppress wildfires quickly and more efficiently. 
  • Harden utility rights-of-way against wildfire by encouraging more active management and the removal of dangerous hazard trees. 
  • Support wildland firefighters and their families through the creation of a new Casualty Assistance Program. 

The NWTF encourages its members to reach out to their congressional delegates and ask them to be champions for our nation’s forests and the Fix Our Forests Act of 2025. 

Stay tuned to NWTF.org as the NWTF works to get this critical piece of legislation enshrined in law. 

About the National Wild Turkey Federation
Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has invested over half a billion dollars into wildlife conservation and has positively impacted over 24 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. The NWTF has also invested over $10 million into wild turkey research to guide the management of the wild turkey population and to ensure sustainable populations into perpetuity. The organization continues to deliver its mission by working across boundaries on a landscape scale through its Four Shared Values: clean and abundant water, healthy forests and wildlife habitat, resilient communities, and robust recreational opportunities. With the help of its dedicated members, partners and staff, the NWTF continues its work to provide Healthy Habitats. and Healthy Harvests. for future generations.

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