Forests are more than just a bunch of trees. That was the idea behind the Multiple Use and Sustained Yield Act (MUSYA) of 1960.
A period of rapid growth and economic development after WWII led to an increase in demand for timber products in the U.S. By the 1950s, it was clear that the nation’s forests did not have enough resources to meet the demands of a growing population and expanding economy. Rather than obliterate our forests by over-harvesting timber or mismanaging water resources, MUSYA was passed. For the first time, we recognized the need to manage the OTHER resources found in our national forests—water, wildlife, recreation, and range. MUSY stipulated that, in the best interests of the American people, the use of all five resources must be balanced. MUSYA requires that the nation’s forests be managed according to the principle of “multiple use,” in order to produce a sustained yield of all our forest’s resources.
MUSYA is one of the 48 federal laws that has been waived to expedite the building of a border wall (click here for a list of all 48 federal laws that have been waived). This means that national forests in the vicinity of proposed wall construction need no longer be managed according to the principle of multiple use. Too many or too few trees may be cut, water resources may be managed poorly (if at all), wildlife, range, and recreational needs may not be met. The Nogales district of the Coronado National Forest in Arizona is on the Mexican border and is the only national forest in proximity to the proposed wall—why waive this law unless plans are in the works to take action that would be prohibited by MUSYA?
Please contact your U.S. Senators and Representatives (https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members) and let them know that you oppose waiving The Multiple Use and Sustained Yield Act to expedite construction of a border wall. Click here if you would like to make a donation to help us fight the border wall.