U.S. Forest Service chief Abigail Kimbell announced a new Open Space Conservation Strategy for her government agency. The Open Space Conservation Strategy is the product of extensive public comment and collaboration, with over 22,000 comments received – nearly all supportive. The public also expressed strong support for open space conservation during USDA's Farm Bill listening sessions.
The Strategy pushes the Forest Service to conserve forests, grasslands, farms, ranches and urban green spaces that provide vital ecosystem services and benefits for society. The Forest Service acknowledged that open space “benefits American citizens by providing clean air, abundant water, outdoor recreation, connected fish and wildlife habitat, scenic beauty, improved human health, renewable resource products, and quality of life.”
In addition, a new Forest Service report “National Forests on the Edge” projects that over 21 million acres of rural private lands near national forests and 44 million acres of private forest land will undergo increases in housing density by 2030. The loss of open space threatens the sustainability of the Nation's forests and grasslands. According to the Forest Service, the U.S. loses approximately 6,000 acres of open space each day across the United States-a rate of four acres per minute. Land development is outpacing population growth, especially in rural areas where the trend is low density, dispersed growth. This new strategy should go a long way towards preserving this land.
