§ 6541. Findings and purposes
(a)
Findings
Congress finds that—
(1)
there has been a dramatic shift in public attitudes and perceptions about forest management, particularly in the understanding and practice of sustainable forest management;
(2)
it is commonly recognized that the proper stewardship of forest land is essential to sustaining and restoring the health of watersheds;
(b)
Purposes
The purposes of this subchapter are—
(1)
to improve landowner and public understanding of the connection between forest management and watershed health;
(2)
to encourage landowners to maintain tree cover on property and to use tree plantings and vegetative treatments as creative solutions to watershed problems associated with varying land uses;
(3)
to enhance and complement forest management and buffer use for watersheds, with an emphasis on community watersheds;
(4)
to establish new partnerships and collaborative watershed approaches to forest management, stewardship, and conservation;
(5)
to provide technical and financial assistance to States to deliver a coordinated program that enhances State forestry best-management practices programs, and conserves and improves forested land and potentially forested land, through technical, financial, and educational assistance to qualifying individuals and entities; and