amendment to help loggers moving through Congress

The House Committee on Natural Resources last week unanimously approved an amendment offered by congressman Steve Southerland, permitting loggers to utilize all-terrain vehicles for the purpose of surveying available resources on national forest lands designated for harvesting. 

Southerland’s amendment was attached to the Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act, renewing the federal government’s commitment to manage resources for the benefit of forest counties and their schools.

Schools in counties with a lot of federally owned forestland like Franklin county get a portion of the proceeds from timber harvest to help fund schools.

Southerland said “Loggers in Apalachicola National Forest have seen their access to timber restricted to such an extreme that they must survey areas designated for harvest by foot.”

He added that by allowing timber harvesters the use of all-terrain vehicles to cruise timber, they will be able to access resources in a more efficient and cost effective manner. 

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