[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