Original press release from the Department of the Interior, August 11, 2021 – link
As part of the Biden-Harris administration’s America the Beautiful initiative, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory visited Redwood National and State Parks today, August 11.
They met with community leaders who are forging collaborative, locally led partnerships to conserve and restore California’s Redwood forests and increase climate resiliency.
Secretary Haaland Visits Redwood National Park, Meets With Local Leaders & Highlights Climate Resiliency Efforts
Secretary Haaland, Chair Mallory, and U.S. Representative Jared Huffman met with members of the Yurok Tribe, the National Park Service, and California Department of Parks and Recreation.
The group toured a forest site in use by Redwoods Rising, a partnership between Redwood National and State Parks and Save the Redwoods League.
This exciting partnership aims to thin thousands of acres of overstocked, logged over lands within the park complex to accelerate old-growth characteristics the parks are known for. The effort will also remove miles of former logging roads and stream crossings that affect local species like salmon and steelhead.
“Nature is essential to the health, well-being, and prosperity of every family and every community in America. It’s exciting to see the local partnerships in action that ensure future generations get to experience the wonder of the Redwoods, as we do today. This is the kind of collaboration that we are hoping to support across the country to conserve, connect and restore our lands and waters.”
Deb Haaland, Secretary of the Interior
“President Biden set a bold national conservation goal to protect the lands and waters upon which we all depend,” said Chair Mallory. “This historic conservation goal drives us to think about ways we can be better stewards of our natural resources in order to confront the climate crisis and threats like extreme heat, wildfires and floods.”
She also stressed that partnerships at local level, such as those that are conserving California’s redwoods, are instrumental to this effort. These collaborations improve the health and resilience of ecosystems, expand access to the outdoors for everyone, and support local economies.
American the Beautiful Initiative
Today’s tour and discussion reinforce the goals of President Biden’s America the Beautiful initiative. This locally led and voluntary, nationwide effort aims to conserve, connect, and restore 30 percent of America’s lands and waters by 2030.
California is also leading an inclusive conservation initiative to achieve similar goals within the state. By embracing the principles of resiliency and landscape connectivity, this work will accelerate restoration and prepare park landscapes for the impacts of drought, fire, disease, invasive species, and climate change.
These are all key components of the current administration’s commitment to protecting our natural resources and landscapes.
Additionally, Secretary Haaland acknowledged the devastating fires in Northern California. She noted that climate change is making fire seasons more intense as firefighters deal with hotter, drier conditions, worsening drought conditions, and more extreme fire behavior.
The visit highlighted investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal, which includes nearly $1.5 billion for Interior’s wildland fire management programs.
This money will improve firefighter pay, reduce hazardous fuels on the landscape, and restore affected lands after the fire.