In testimony before the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell prioritized the proposed FY 2013 Forest Service budget request in three themes: restoration, communities, and fire.

“To make the strategic investments to grow the economy and tackle the deficit, this budget makes difficult cuts to programs, but our priorities are designed to respond to the needs of the American public,” Tidwell said. “The budget request will engage communities and help Americans reconnect to the outdoors, expand on recreation benefits and create a wide range of opportunities for economic expansion to retain and create jobs. It also fosters partnering with communities and cooperating agencies to reduce the threat of wildland fires to people, property and watersheds.”

The FY 2013 President’s Budget requests $4.86 billion for the Forest Service, an increase of less than one-half of one percent over the 2012 appropriated level. With the threats from insects and disease, wildfire, urban development, and impacts of a changing climate, active restoration is a key component of the agency’s FY 2013 budget strategy.

“By making targeted investments in the landscapes most at risk, we can restore healthy, resilient forests and grasslands, provide recreational and hunting access, and provide forest products for the benefit of all Americans,” Tidwell testified. “Our FY 2013 budget request is designed to do just that by working with partners across borders and boundaries at a landscape level.”