New Bill Aims to Bolster Forestry Career Pathways

Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) and Rep. David Rouzer (NC-07) have introduced the bipartisan Jobs in the Woods Act, which aims to connect young people with careers and training in forestry. The bill would create a grant program for nonprofit organizations, state governments and colleges to utilize for workforce training in forestry-related fields.

Inspired by the Forest Youth Success program in Skamania County, the Jobs in the Woods Act would provide workforce training opportunities to inspire the next generation of forestry workers. 

If passed, the Jobs in the Woods Act would:

• Create education programs for states, nonprofits, and colleges through grants of $500,000 to $2,000,000.
• Create the programs in rural and low-income areas to spur economic development, bringing thousands of dollars of investments into rural communities.
• Create a pool of talented, trained and qualified applicants to fill job openings in forestry-related industries.
• Partner with programs that have proven to help students find forestry industry jobs and programs that engage with their local communities.

“Our timber communities want to be self-sufficient, and our kids shouldn’t feel like they need to move away from home to do something of value,” said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. “Our bipartisan Jobs in the Woods Act will honor Southwest Washington’s timber heritage by setting our next generation up with the skills they need to work in our woods.”

“North Carolina’s forestry industry is a driving force for our rural economy. The Jobs in the Woods Act supports the hardworking men and women who keep our forests healthy and our rural economies strong,” said Rep. Rouzer. “This bill invests in the next generation of skilled workers, revitalizing our communities, and ensuring America’s forestry industry remains competitive for decades to come.”

The forest products industry is one of the U.S. economy’s largest manufacturing sectors, supporting over 930,000 families and contributing $295 billion annually. 

This year, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez urged the Trump Administration to refrain from cuts to federal workers that could negatively affect timber production, wildfire readiness and recreation in Southwest Washington. Following the President’s Executive Order to increase domestic lumber production on federal lands, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez expressed support for an approach that prioritizes small, independent logging, trucking, and mill operators.

Earlier this year, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez’s provisions were signed into law to extend eligibility for the Forest Service’s Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) for federal forest restoration and management projects to Tribes and counties to increase opportunities for cross-boundary restoration. In March, she introduced the bipartisan Community Wood Facilities Assistance Act to improve markets for forest products.

Full text of the legislation is available here.

Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez previously introduced the legislation in the 118th Congress.

The Jobs in the Woods Act is supported by the Forest Resources Association, American Forest Resource Council, American Forest and Paper Association, National Association of State Foresters, American Forest Foundation, American Loggers Council, American Wood Council, National Alliance of Forest Owners, National Hardwood Lumber Association, National Wooden Pallet and Container Association, National Wood Flooring Association, National Woodland Owners Association, Association of Consulting Foresters, Composite Panel Association, Decorative Hardwoods Association, Federal Forest Resource Coalition, Forest Landowners Association, Forest Workforce Training Institute, Hardwood Federation, Maple Flooring Manufacturers Association, Society of American Foresters, Railway Tie Association, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Western Wood Preservers Institute, Washington Forest Protection Association, and North Carolina Forestry Association.