President Donald Trump is getting the federal government involved in a global tree planting initiative.
He issued an executive order on Tuesday to create a council responsible for “developing, coordinating, and promoting Federal Government interactions with the Initiative with respect to tree growing, restoration, and conservation, and with coordinating with key stakeholders to help advance the Initiative.”
The council will track federal activities with respect to trees grown, restored, and conserved.
It will identify laws and other regulations that could prevent the council from taking action.
The council will also inform state, local, and tribal officials of efforts to manage forests and woodlands on federal land.
“On January 21, 2020, I announced that to further protect the environment, the United States would be joining the World Economic Forum’s One Trillion Trees initiative (Initiative), an ambitious global effort to grow and conserve one trillion trees worldwide by 2030,” Trump said.
He added, “Following through on my commitment, and given the expansive footprint of our Federal forests and woodlands, this order initiates the formation of the United States One Trillion Trees Interagency Council to further the Federal Government’s contribution to the global effort.”
Last month, Trump pinned the blame for wildfires sweeping the western United States on forest mismanagement, as IJR previously reported.
A reporter asked Trump if climate change was a factor behind the fires.
“I think this is more of a management situation,” Trump answered.
He explained other countries “don’t have this problem.”
“They have more explosive trees, meaning they catch fire much easier. But they don’t have problems like this,” Trump said.
During a roundtable discussion about the wildfires, the president questioned climate science, as IJR previously reported.
“It’ll start getting cooler. You just watch,” Trump said.
In case you missed it:
President Trump: "It'll start getting cooler. You just watch."
— The Hill (@thehill) September 14, 2020
Wade Crowfoot, CA Sec. for Natural Resources: "I wish science agreed with you."
President Trump: "Well, I don't think science knows actually." pic.twitter.com/L98SD0l0cH
California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot told Trump, “I wish science agreed with you.”
Trump replied, “Well, I don’t think science knows, actually.”
