Forest policy reformed: A United States perspective

It appears that United States federal forest policy in the last three decades has been relatively static, with only modest changes in laws being made by Congress, and most federal policy-making occurring through budgetary allocation decisions. However, more fundamental forest policy shifts have occurred in international forestry, in environmental nongovernment organizations (ENGOs), and in the private sector. In the 1990s, the executive branch and state and local governments have become more important; international agreements have had significant impacts at defining the policy agenda; and environmental nongovernment organizations (ENGOs) have become more powerful, both at influencing agency implementation and as land managers themselves. In addition, corporations have actively pursued proactive environmental agendas and voluntarily adopted forest practice guidelines that often exceed those that could have been achieved by government mandates. Government programs have renewed purchases of forest land or of conservation easements. However, state forestry and development interest groups, market pressures, and limited government budgets continue to limit regulatory expansion. The tension between commodity and preservation interests has not waned, and forest policy responses have become more dynamic, extending beyond the traditional views of strictly government policy-making. The breadth of the public policy responses has increased, and the introduction of important new private and corporate forest policies and programs has greatly changed the impact on private forest land management.