    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 124, 111th Congress, 2nd Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    PROCLAMATION 8587--OCT. 15, 2010

    Proclamation 8587 of October 15, 2010
    National Forest Products Week, 2010
    By the President of the United States of America
    A Proclamation

    Since the first communities and settlements in our Nation, forests and
    their products have played a vital role in our growth and economic
    development. Forests have also enhanced the splendor of our
    surroundings, served as wildlife habitats, provided places for
    recreational activities, and offered serene settings for contemplation.
    As we mark the 50th anniversary of National Forest Products Week, we
    recognize the enduring value of forests as sustainable, renewable, and
    bountiful resources, and we recommit to our stewardship and efforts to
    further their conservation.
    Our Nation's forests provide us with clean water and air, wood,
    wildlife, recreation, and beauty. Forest products can be seen in myriad
    places in our daily lives, from the houses we live in to the paper we
    write on. National Forest Products Week draws attention to these
    invaluable resources, and to the importance of ensuring our forests
    remain flourishing ecosystems that will provide indispensable benefits
    for current and future generations. Every forested acre represents an
    opportunity to reduce the effects of climate change; to protect habitats
    and communities; to explore nature; to provide clean air and water; and
    to produce raw materials like timber, fiber, and biomass.
    Earlier this year, I launched the America's Great Outdoors Initiative to
    develop a 21st-century conservation agenda that will reconnect Americans
    with the outdoors and protect our Nation's vast and varied natural
    heritage. Senior officials from my Administration have been traveling
    across America to learn about innovative ways that private landowners;
    State, local, and tribal governments; conservationists; and other
    concerned citizens are coming together to preserve our natural
    resources. They have also heard about the many benefits our forests and
    their products provide the Nation.
    In this time of economic recovery, we must not forget the jobs created
    and supported by forest management and restoration, as well as the
    significant contributions made by the Americans who work in these
    sectors. They not only help bring forest products to market, but also
    spur innovative ways to move our country forward. Forests provide
    renewable and recyclable commodities, and scientific exploration can
    find new frontiers of growth in their application. Through new
    technologies, we have made progress in nanotechnology, enhanced biofuels
    and biochemicals; expanded our knowledge of medicinal plants; and
    examined more sustainable green building practices. Through careful
    conservation of our forests, we can ensure future generations will be
    able to both enjoy these national treasures and expand upon the many
    uses we have for their products today.

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    To recognize the importance of products from our 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, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
    America, do hereby proclaim October 17 through October 23, 2010, as
    National Forest Products Week. I call on all Americans to celebrate the
    varied uses and products of our forested lands, as well as the people
    who carry on the tradition of careful stewardship of these precious
    natural resources for generations to come.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of
    October, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the
    Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
    fifth.
    BARACK OBAMA