[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 200 (Wednesday, October 18, 2023)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 71727-71728]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-23098]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 200 / Wednesday, October 18, 2023 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 71727]]


                Proclamation 10654 of October 13, 2023

                
National Forest Products Week, 2023

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                For generations, America's forests have been a source 
                of recreation and relaxation for millions of people; a 
                sacred place for Tribal ceremonies and cultural 
                practices; and a source of livelihood for foresters, 
                loggers, mill workers, carpenters, Tribes, local 
                communities, and others who rely on forest products and 
                healthy forest ecosystems to support themselves, their 
                families, and their communities. This National Forest 
                Products Week, my Administration recommits to 
                conserving our beautiful forests. When we responsibly 
                steward the abundant renewable resources found in our 
                Nation's forestlands, we not only protect the 
                environment but also support a critical pillar of our 
                economy that uplifts communities across America.

                From lumber and paper to clean water and fresh air, we 
                depend on our forests to protect our environment and 
                fuel our economy. But our forests--and the jobs and 
                livelihoods of those who work in them--are endangered 
                by a range of risks, including the existential threat 
                of climate change. Extreme heat, more intense droughts, 
                and decades of poor forest management have turned 
                wildfire season into wildfire years--destroying 
                countless acres of forestland and spreading smoky haze 
                across our country.

                From day one, my Administration has been committed to 
                maintaining the health, diversity, and productivity of 
                our forests. In my first week as President, I signed an 
                Executive Order establishing the ``America the 
                Beautiful'' Initiative--our country's first-ever 
                national conservation goal--committing to conserve at 
                least 30 percent of all our Nation's lands and waters 
                by 2030 through voluntary, locally-led efforts across 
                the country. Keeping foresters and farmers working 
                across our country in a sustainable manner is central 
                to this initiative.

                We are building on these successes with my Investing in 
                America Agenda. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure 
                Law, we are making our forests and our communities more 
                resilient by removing overgrown vegetation from land 
                near homes and power lines, improving evacuation routes 
                in areas susceptible to wildfires, and finding and 
                removing invasive species that can cause fires to 
                spread more easily. With historic funding from the 
                Inflation Reduction Act--the largest climate investment 
                in the history of the world--for tree planting, 
                sustainable forest management, and fire prevention, we 
                are reducing the effects of climate change on our 
                forests. I am proud to have increased the Federal 
                firefighter minimum wage to $15 an hour--a critical 
                first step in giving these heroes the pay, respect, and 
                dignity they deserve.

                My Administration is also working to create more 
                opportunities for producers of American forest 
                products. With a combination of funding from the 
                Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation 
                Reduction Act, my Administration is supporting American 
                businesses that advance forest conservation and create 
                jobs--awarding millions of dollars through the Wood 
                Innovations, Community Wood, and Wood Products 
                Infrastructure Assistance grant programs. These 
                initiatives are expanding the sustainable and 
                innovative use of American wood products and wood waste 
                materials to produce renewable

[[Page 71728]]

                energy, strengthening emerging wood markets, and 
                supporting sustainable forest management.

                Our Nation's majestic forests are at the heart of who 
                we are as Americans, connecting us to something bigger 
                than ourselves. Conserving them not only sustains a 
                vital part of our country's economy but also preserves 
                a key part of the American story for future 
                generations. During National Forest Products Week, my 
                Administration recommits to safeguarding and stewarding 
                our precious forests so that we, our children, and our 
                grandchildren can enjoy them for many years to come.

                To recognize the importance of the many products 
                generated by our Nation's forests, the Congress, by 
                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, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., 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 15 
                through October 21, 2023, as National Forest Products 
                Week. I call upon the people of the United States to 
                join me in this observance and in recognizing all 
                Americans who are responsible for the stewardship of 
                our Nation's beautiful forested landscapes.

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

[FR Doc. 2023-23098
Filed 10-17-23; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F4-P