Fix Our Forests Act a Bipartisan Solution to a National Problem

September 9, 2025

Wildfire resilience and forest management have never mattered more

Across the West, when we look at our mountains, we don’t just see the beautiful landscape, we see the lifeblood of the people who live here. These peaks store our water, support our economy, and shape our way of life. But this summer, like every recent summer, is a reminder of what’s at stake: smoky skies, communities on edge, families and businesses evacuated, and whole watersheds under threat. As far as the East Coast, smoke of fires from Western blazes reach across the nation, reminding us that we breathe the same air.

So far in 2025, over 1 million acres have burned in large wildfires across the country. Wildfire risk has become constant throughout the year in many areas, and now “normal” means living with an expectation of frequent and bigger blazes. Responding to this reality isn’t a one-and-done project — it’s a generational commitment.

That’s why bipartisan support in Congress for wildfire resilience and forest management has never mattered more.

The Fix Our Forests Act was first introduced by Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and passed the U.S. House of Representatives with a strong bipartisan vote earlier this year. The bill has now gained momentum in the U.S. Senate with bipartisan support led by Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah), Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.). The bill reflects that old-fashioned American idea that when a crisis hits, we work together to find solutions.

The bill is designed to accelerate the pace of wildfire mitigation while maintaining the necessary safeguards for fish and wildlife that matter to all of us. Central to the bill is the concept of “Fireshed Management Areas,” targeted zones of up to 10,000 acres where wildfire poses the greatest danger to people and water supplies. Within these zones, risk-reduction projects like ecological thinning, prescribed fire, and fuel breaks can move forward faster by cutting through red tape, while still benefiting fish, wildlife, and their habitat.

The Fix Our Forests Act is also innovative. For the first time, this legislation recognizes that projects to restore and improve floodplains and wetlands can demonstrably reduce wildfire risk to downstream communities, including the long-term impacts wildfires can have on valuable drinking water supplies for rural and urban populations. Identifying the need for smarter, more coordinated responses to wildfire, the bill also creates a national Wildfire Intelligence Center, a state-of-the-art hub for real-time fire data and rapid agency coordination modeled on proven science and public safety systems.

The Fix Our Forests Act is pragmatic, collaborative, and designed for the scale of the threat. The senators’ approach — building consensus, defending conservation values, and insisting on urgency — reflects what leadership looks like when the stakes are highest. Congress has the opportunity to enact into law this piece of legislation that will directly benefit communities throughout the West, and America, for generations to come.

A version of this blog originally ran in The Daily Sentinel out of Grand Junction, Colorado, on August 30, 2025.

One Response to “Fix Our Forests Act a Bipartisan Solution to a National Problem”

David Eastman September 13, 2025

it is about time they are considering doing something about our National Forests we were up camping in the Roosevelt National Forest in Colorado Sept 7th-12th and enjoyed our time up there but because of the huge amount of dead trees scattered like pick-up-sticks there were a lot of places we couldn’t hike. Twice while we were up there, we had a dead standing tree fall nearby. On our way from Red Feather Lakes west on Deadman Rd we did see tree removal operation in progress closer to Red Feather. Was great to see. We also know this is monumental task to undertake after our forests have been neglected for so long. Thank you for what can be done.

September 13, 2025 at 1:00 pm

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by: Dan Morgan

posted in: Habitat and Clean Water

September 4, 2025

Bipartisan Headwaters Protection Act Reintroduced to Safeguard America’s Forests and Watersheds

Hunters, anglers, and conservation groups applaud legislation aimed at new investments in source watersheds and resilient forests.

On Wednesday, a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators – including Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and James Risch (R-Idaho) introduced the Headwaters Protection Act in an effort to invest in America’s forests and watersheds by expanding support for two U.S. Forest Service Programs created in the 2018 Farm Bill: The Water Source Protection Program (WSPP) and the Watershed Condition Framework (WCF). These two programs are unique in that they are the only Forest Service authorities that specifically support efforts to identify and implement conservation and restoration efforts to improve the quality of water originating on National Forest Service lands, which provide benefits for both downstream water users and fish and wildlife.

If passed, the bill would support critical public-private partnerships working to ensure our National Forests provide clean water to downstream communities, benefit agricultural water users, and safeguard fish and wildlife habitat that hunters, anglers, and communities rely on.

Originally introduced in 2023, the reintroduced bill aims to make important updates that will expand participation, increase funding, and boost resilience.

“Healthy source watersheds improve water reliability and quality, bolster resilience to drought and wildfire, and sustain the fish and wildlife habitat that hunters and anglers depend on,” said Alex Funk, TRCP’s director of water resources. “The Headwaters Protection Act will strengthen public-private partnerships to accelerate restoration and conservation of these landscapes, and we applaud Senators Bennet, Crapo, Hickenlooper, Luján, and Risch for their leadership in introducing this important bipartisan legislation aimed at keeping our forests and watersheds healthy.”

From backcountry trout streams to irrigation canals that sustain farms, healthy headwaters are the foundation of both America’s sporting traditions and our economy. National forests supply drinking water to more than 150 million Americans and sustain countless fish and wildlife species that hunters and anglers depend on. The Headwaters Protection Act would:

Reauthorize the Water Source Protection Program (WSPP) and increase the authorization of appropriations for the program from $10 million per year to $30 million per year.

Broaden the range of water users, including rural communities and Tribes, who could participate in and benefit from the WSPP.

Reduce financial barriers for water users to participate in the WSPP by providing more flexible match requirements.

Prioritize WSPP projects that benefit drinking water quality and improve resilience to wildfire and other natural disasters.

Make a technical change to the Watershed Condition Framework (WCF) that ensures healthy watersheds do not become further degraded and authorizes $30 million in new appropriations per year for the implementation of locally led watershed restoration plans.

The WSPP and WCF projects would: 

Conserve and restore freshwater resources within National Forest System Lands and nearby non-federal lands, which supply drinking water to one in five Americans and contain much of our country’s best remaining cold-water habitat for salmon, steelhead, and trout.

Complement and strengthen the Forest Service’s efforts to respond to growing wildfire risk by encouraging partnerships with water users to reduce threats associated with wildfire to water supplies.

Learn more about TRCP’s work on Habitat & Clean Water | Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership

Hunters and anglers have always been the unsung heroes of conservation in America, quietly paying it forward every time we buy a license, a box of ammo, or a tank of boat fuel. We know you’re not satisfied with simply going hunting or fishing and then going home—so go the extra distance. You can take action on the conservation issues that matter right now. Click here to get started.

by: Dan Morgan

posted in: Habitat and Clean Water

August 26, 2025

Data Centers, Energy, and Water: What Hunters and Anglers Need to Know

Exploring how digital infrastructure shapes the natural systems hunters and anglers depend on

The backbone of today’s digital world is not something most hunters and anglers think about when they log onto a mapping app, stream a video, or upload photos from the field. But behind every click sits a vast network of data centers – massive facilities filled with computer systems, servers, and cooling equipment that run 24/7 to power online services, cloud storage, and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI). You might have heard about one being built near you.

And like any form of infrastructure, these facilities come with costs. Chief among them are growing demands for electricity and water – resources that are also vital to sustaining the fish, wildlife, and habitats hunters and anglers depend on.

Growth and Scale

Across the U.S., between 3,000 and 5,400 data centers are already operating, with new facilities rapidly being built to meet the booming demand for cloud computing, AI, and digital services. The United States hosts more data centers than any other country, and projections show their electricity use could rise from 17 gigawatts in 2022 to as much as 130 gigawatts by 2030. For context, that’s more than 100 times the output of a single large nuclear power plant.

Water use is just as significant. Cooling massive banks of servers requires millions of gallons per day in some locations, while additional indirect water demand comes from the power plants that generate electricity for these facilities. In arid states like Utah and New Mexico, these demands are sparking debates over whether scarce water should support fast-growing tech hubs or be reserved for communities, agriculture, and wildlife habitat.

Why This Matters for Fish and Wildlife

The connection between digital infrastructure and conservation may not be obvious at first, but the ripple effects are real.

Data centers place demands on three linked resources:

Electricity: Data centers require enormous amounts of power to operate and meeting this need puts pressure on local energy grids and drives the increased demand for new energy development, whether oil and gas, coal, wind, solar, or other sources, which in turn can lead to increased development and fragmentation on the landscape.

Water: Water is used directly for cooling and indirectly in power generation. This dual use can be especially challenging in arid states where every drop counts.

Habitat: Construction of new facilities, transmission lines, and cooling infrastructure often requires large footprints that can fragment or displace wildlife habitat.

One notable example comes from New Mexico, where Facebook secured a deal guaranteeing access to 4.5 million gallons of water per day for a new data center campus. While local officials welcomed the economic boost, the deal sparked questions about long-term water availability in a drought-prone region.

Balancing Growth and Conservation

The digital economy is here to stay, and the demand for data will only increase. But growth doesn’t have to come at the expense of fish, wildlife, and clean water.

The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership is committed to working with diverse stakeholders to support energy development approaches that avoid and minimize impacts to the nation’s fish and wildlife resources to align with its Energy Platform such as:

Smarter Siting: Prioritizing development on already disturbed lands rather than intact habitats.

Water Stewardship: Using non-potable water, closed-loop cooling, and transparent reporting to reduce stress on drought-prone watersheds.

Wildlife Safeguards: Incorporating habitat data and migration mapping into planning decisions so that critical fish and wildlife resources are conserved.

Looking Ahead

The growth of data centers is part of a broader digital transformation that shows no sign of slowing. At the same time, water scarcity and energy demand are critical challenges in many parts of the country. As these facilities continue to expand, decisions about how they are sited, powered, and cooled will play an important role in balancing economic growth with long-term resource sustainability.

By understanding how data centers function and the pressures they create, hunters, anglers, and other conservation-minded citizens can better appreciate the connections between digital infrastructure and the natural systems we all rely on.

Learn more about TRCP’s work on energy development and critical minerals production, including how TRCP is working to ensure this growth avoids and minimizes impacts on hunter and angler access and opportunity. Click HERE.

by: Sarah Smith

posted in: Habitat and Clean Water

August 21, 2025

When an Iconic Southwestern River Runs Dry

What hunters, anglers, and conservationists stand to lose as the Rio Grande dries up

For the second time in just three years, the Rio Grande is running dry in many of its reaches throughout central and southern New Mexico. Barren riverbeds stand as stark reminders that drought and overuse threaten not only the river’s survival but also a way of life for those who depend on it. In areas where water is usually prevalent this time of year, fish are found stranded and drying up in shrinking, murky puddles. Wildlife across the region is losing a crucial water source amid relentless summer heat. At the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, we believe restoring reliable flows to this vital river system is essential to sustaining habitats and securing a resilient future for the Southwest.

It’s no wonder how the Rio Grande got its name. Stretching from its source in the Colorado mountains to the sea, the Rio Grande is the third longest river in the continental United States. It provides drinking water to millions of people across three states and two countries. This diverse river flows from high alpine mountains through deep canyon gorges to serene cottonwood groves and into harsh desert terrain. In an arid landscape, it’s a lifeline for fish and wildlife, Indigenous peoples, traditional agricultural communities, municipalities, as well as hunters, anglers, and other recreational users.

Water in the Rio Grande is shared by Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas under a legal agreement called the Rio Grande Compact; with each state entitled to a portion. For example, even though Texas is at the downstream end of the river, New Mexico is required to deliver a set amount of water to Texas every year through the compact agreement. As rising temperatures and prolonged drought reduce overall flows, there’s less water to go around. New Mexico is often left with little to no excess water to store in its own reservoirs after mandated deliveries to Texas, this leaves upstream sections vulnerable when natural flows taper off during the hottest part of the year. Additionally, less snowpack in the river’s Colorado headwaters coupled with higher spring temperatures has meant snowmelt-fed flows are smaller and come earlier, leaving just a trickle by the time summer rolls around. While southern sections of the river have historically gone dry later in the summer due to diversions for agriculture and other uses, this kind of early-season drying—especially this far north—is a troubling new pattern.

These challenges pose real consequences throughout the basin. As flows diminish, critical habitat for fish and wildlife disappears, water quality declines, and recreational opportunities for users including hunters and anglers become fewer. Communities that rely on the river for drinking water, sustenance, and cultural traditions are left facing harsh economic and environmental realities. Part of the TRCP’s work with local and national stakeholders in the basin is to identify and advocate for durable, science-backed solutions to keep water in the Rio Grande so we can safeguard this river system, together.

Despite its importance, the Rio Grande receives significantly less federal attention and funding for research, infrastructure management, ecological restoration, and conservation efforts than other similarly sized rivers in the country. As part of its ongoing efforts in the Rio Grande Basin, the TRCP continues working to elevate the river’s profile and advance projects and policies that protect sustainable flows and thriving habitats. In my role as the TRCP’s new Rio Grande Program Manager, I’m collaborating with a diverse set of conservation organizations such as American Rivers, National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, World Wildlife Fund, Trout Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, HECHO (Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors) and others to advocate for the federal actions needed to ensure dry riverbeds don’t become the new normal.

The Rio Grande deserves more than to be treated as an afterthought. Theodore Roosevelt himself prioritized its protection with the creation of the Rio Grande National Forest in 1908, largely to safeguard the river’s headwaters and the resources it sustains. This extraordinary river merits attention, funding, and long-term planning across management areas so that it can continue to support fish and wildlife, cultural traditions, and hunting and angling opportunities for generations to come. By recognizing the Rio Grande’s importance, we are one step closer to helping restore reliable flows and resilience to this iconic river system.

Learn more about TRCP’s commitment to habitat and clean water HERE

Top photo courtesy of BLM Flickr

by: Josh Metten

posted in: Habitat and Clean Water

August 19, 2025

The Bridger-Teton National Forest Released a Plan Revision Assessment. Why Do Sportspeople Need to Engage?

Learn how to submit comments below

When it comes to iconic public lands cherished by sportspeople, Wyoming’s 3.4-million-acre Bridger-Teton National Forest stands out as one of America’s crown jewels. It’s one of few places left in the Lower 48 where long-distance mule deer, elk, and pronghorn antelope migrations have persisted for centuries. Four species of native cutthroat trout are found in the forest’s cold-water streams. Bighorn sheep, moose, mountain goats, bison, grizzly and black bears, wolves, and mountain lions all call this wild country home.

Sportspeople who know the Bridger-Teton understand that success in this rugged landscape requires careful preparation, patience, and persistence. Ensuring that a revised management plan for the Bridger-Teton National Forest incorporates the values of sportspeople, the wildlife, and wild places we love into the final plan is no different. After 35 years, the process to revise the management plan for the forest is moving forward, and the first step is to provide feedback on the Draft Assessment report.

The Assessment is an outline of the current conditions of the Forest and will be used to guide proposed changes to management of the Forest during the future phases of the revision process. That’s why we need sportsmen and women to help ensure that the Draft Assessment includes the best available science and information. TRCP staff have taken the time to review the assessment and have identified the need for additional big game science and data to be added to the report. Suggested comment language is provided below.

Please submit your comments to the Forest Service to ensure big game populations continue to thrive in this region. Don’t delay, comments are due August 24!

Suggested Comments for the Draft Forest Plan Assessment:

Big Game Migration

Wyoming is home to some of the last remaining long-distance big game migrations in North America, many of which bisect the Bridger-Teton National Forest. I appreciate the efforts of federal land managers to follow the direction of the Wyoming Game and Fish when making land management decisions that will impact wildlife populations. I appreciate the inclusion of state designated and identified big game corridors in the draft assessment, however, additional state-led migration research and data, including the iconic Wyoming Range mule deer migration, are missing from the draft assessment. Forest planning regulations require the best available scientific information to be included in the Assessment, and in order to meet this requirement, additional research and data must be included. Please include, at a minimum, big game habitat maps relevant to the planning area from the USGS Migration Atlas Volumes One through Four.

Outdoor Recreation

As an avid sportsperson, I appreciate the opportunity to explore our public lands throughout the year and recognize their importance to local communities, as identified in the assessment. I have also seen the rapid growth of outdoor recreation on the Bridger-Teton National Forest and want recreation opportunities to be managed to avoid negative impacts to our wildlife populations. Thank you for including current seasonal closures to conserve wintering wildlife and migration corridors along with some research on disturbance impacts. Please expand this section to include the best available scientific information surrounding impacts of recreation on wildlife including summer range, winter range, and dispersed recreation.

Big Game Crucial Range and Parturition

The Supplemental Assessment states “Identifying high priority conservation areas (See Figure 15 and Figure 16) allows managers to focus on key areas to protect. Among the top habitat types to protect are: stopover habitat sites, crucial ranges, parturition areas (i.e., birthing grounds), areas utilized by multiple herds and/or species, travel bottlenecks, and other areas where sensitive behaviors occur” (Page 49). While some of this data is included in the assessment, big game crucial range and parturition areas are not. This information informs managers to how big game use the Forest and should be included in the Forest Plan assessment to create a clear picture of current conditions.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the draft assessment. Including the “Best Available Scientific Information” in the Assessment is a crucial step in developing updates to the Forest Plan that incorporates the needs of our local communities, respects the distinct roles of state and federal agencies, and conserves the forest’s outstanding resources for future generations.

SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS HERE BY AUGUST 24!

The Long Haul

Sportspeople are used to patiently waiting for the right opportunity and persistently pursuing our goals. Getting involved in the Assessment now helps prepare us to engage in the Forest Plan revision over the next few years. The TRCP and our partners will be here to help guide you throughout the process. Thank you for being a sportsperson advocate for the Bridger-Teton!

Check out “The Citizen’s Guide to Forest Planning” to learn more.

More questions or want to get involved? Please contact Wyoming field manager Josh Metten at jmetten@trcp.org.

Learn more about the forest plan revision HERE.