March 31, 2021
In response to United States President Joe Biden’s American Jobs Plan, American Forests President and CEO Jad Daley released the following statement:
“American Forests applauds President Biden’s bold proposal to rebuild America’s infrastructure with a clear focus on climate action and equity, including broad-based economic opportunities. This plan will put millions of people to work, creating a more equitable economy where all people have an opportunity to achieve the American Dream.
“We are thrilled to see trees and forests, more broadly, as part of this vision to build back better. The American Jobs Plan recognizes that investment in activities related to our natural resources, like tree planting and forest restoration, will create hundreds of thousands of family-wage jobs, protect clean drinking water and other vital resources, and build healthier communities.
“Importantly, this includes urban forestry. After all, trees in our cities are not scenery, but life-saving infrastructure that can shelter people from climate-driven heat waves, reduce air pollution, and clean urban waters. We must use tree planting and other actions to move toward Tree Equity, so that every person in every neighborhood has the healing and protective benefits of trees.
We are also thrilled to see a Civilian Climate Corps included in this plan as a way to deliver the needed forestry actions, from restoring forests for wildfire resilience to planting Tree Equity in cities. Based on our proud heritage having helped to establish the New Deal-era Civilian Conservation Corps, American Forests knows that a new corps updated for 21st Century challenges will transform lives while building a stronger and more resilient nation, from our iconic public land to our cities and towns.
We look forward to working with the Biden Administration and bipartisan leaders in Congress on advancing this visionary plan.”