Issue Position: Protecting the Ozarks

Issue Position

Issue Position: Protecting the Ozarks

The Ozark National Forest is one of Arkansas's most cherished treasures. It's 1.2 million acres, mostly in the Ozark Mountains of northern Arkansas, includes the tallest point in the state, Mount Magazine, and Blanchard Springs Caverns, a living underground cave. During the Fall, the trademark purple, orange and yellow leaves of this majestic oak forest line the roads as fans travel to Fayetteville to watch the Hogs play at Razorback Stadium. However, all of this beauty is subject to dramatic change if we do not act to protect the forest.

The forest is losing oaks at a very rapid pace. Many of the trees in the Ozarks are simply too old and are dying off naturally. Others are falling prey to the Red Oak Borer, a beetle whose larva burrows through the bark of the oak, carving out the heartwood of the tree. The U.S. Forest Service has confirmed that the Ozark National Forest is facing an unprecedented outbreak of red oak borers.

In 2003, I voted for the "Healthy Forests Restoration Act," which was signed into law by President George W. Bush. This landmark legislation addresses the nation's unhealthy forest crisis by expediting procedures for forest thinning and restoration projects. It includes specific help for Arkansas's national forests by authorizing funds to address the red oak borer infestation that has destroyed thousands of trees in the Ozark-St. Francis National Forests.

I am committed to continuing to assist the U.S. Forest Service as they work to preserve the Ozark National Forest. I will also continue to help them spread the word at home, as public approval is required before the Forest Service can begin thinning the forest. One of the true natural treasures of our country is at risk, and we must continue to find ways to protect the Ozarks so that future generations can enjoy our beautiful forest.

Source