[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 205 (Thursday, October 22, 2020)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 67263-67264]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-23539]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 85 , No. 205 / Thursday, October 22, 2020 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 67263]]


                Proclamation 10104 of October 16, 2020

                
National Forest Products Week, 2020

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Our Nation's magnificent forests are a source of 
                commerce, recreation, and pride for all Americans. 
                America's woodlands are capable of producing a myriad 
                of products and materials that bolster our economy, 
                improve our daily lives, supply our environment with 
                clean air, and provide countless Americans an escape to 
                hike and relax in a tranquil and picturesque setting. 
                During National Forest Products Week, we appreciate the 
                essential role forests and forest products play in our 
                livelihood and prosperity, and we renew our commitment 
                to maintaining these treasured woodlands for future 
                generations.

                The forest industry adds nearly $300 billion annually 
                to our Gross Domestic Product and employs almost one 
                million Americans. To ensure this sector of our economy 
                continues to flourish, my Administration is 
                strengthening markets for wood products and 
                incentivizing innovative manufacturing techniques. As a 
                result of these efforts, the Department of 
                Agriculture's Forest Service sold 3.3 billion board 
                feet of timber from National Forests in fiscal year 
                2019--the highest output since 1997.

                In addition to bolstering rural economies, our 
                foresters use science-based forest management practices 
                in order to promote forest health and reduce wildfire 
                risk. Over the past several months, our country has 
                been particularly reminded of how devastating wildfires 
                and natural disasters can be to our way of life and our 
                economy. Throughout the western United States, 
                wildfires have scorched and destroyed millions of acres 
                of forest, and as a result of Hurricane Laura, the 
                timber industry suffered an estimated $1.1 billion 
                economic loss. This devastation has placed additional 
                burdens on an essential industry that has been 
                instrumental to our efforts to overcome the coronavirus 
                pandemic, including by working to produce safer product 
                packaging, like the wooden pallets used to deliver 
                critical household items such as paper products, 
                diapers, disinfecting wipes, medications, and mask 
                filters. It is imperative that we safeguard our 
                domestic supply of timber, provide economic security 
                for our forest landowners, and maintain the viability 
                of this critical aspect of our economy for the benefit 
                of all Americans.

                A sound forest products industry produces positive 
                environmental benefits as well. In order to further 
                promote forest health and protect the environment, on 
                January 21, 2020, I announced that the United States 
                would be joining the World Economic Forum's One 
                Trillion Trees initiative, an ambitious global effort 
                to grow and conserve one trillion trees worldwide by 
                2030. Following through on my commitment, and given the 
                expansive footprint of our Federal forests and 
                woodlands, I signed an Executive Order to establish the 
                United States One Trillion Trees Interagency Council to 
                further the Federal Government's participation in this 
                effort. To complement these efforts, I have called for 
                the passage of the bi-partisan REPLANT Act (S. 4357), 
                which would help address the Forest Service's 
                reforestation backlog and continued annual 
                reforestation needs by removing the current $30 million 
                annual funding cap for the Reforestation Trust Fund.

                This week, we recommit to bolstering the forest 
                products industry and to continuing to appreciate the 
                natural resources God has bestowed upon

[[Page 67264]]

                our country. Together with our Nation's foresters, we 
                can preserve our beautiful forests for every American 
                in order to secure a future of environmental and 
                economic success now and for posterity.

                Recognizing the economic importance of the many 
                products generated from our Nation's forests, the 
                Congress, through enactment of Public Law 86-753 (36 
                U.S.C. 123), as amended, has designated the week 
                beginning on the third Sunday in October of each year 
                as ``National Forest Products Week'' and has authorized 
                and requested the President to issue a proclamation in 
                observance of this week.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the 
                United States, do hereby proclaim October 18 through 
                October 24, 2020, as National Forest Products Week. I 
                call upon all Americans to observe this week with 
                appropriate observances and activities and to reaffirm 
                our commitment to our Nation's forests and the products 
                that they provide.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                sixteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand twenty, and of the Independence of the United 
                States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2020-23539
Filed 10-21-20; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F1-P