The U.S. Forest Service has posted a request for public comment in the federal register on a proposed new regulation that would create a “National Saw Program.”
What’s all the buzz about? It’s not a plan to cut government; rather, it’s intended to make cutting government-owned trees a safer process.
In a press release, the Forest Service says the proposed rule would “establish a national policy providing consistent oversight and training on the use of saws by employees, consultants and volunteers on lands managed by the [Forest Service].”
At present, the nine different regions of the agency have set their own standards for who can be an approved sawyer tasked with cutting brush during trail maintenance.
However, in an overview of the new rules, the feds show how seriously they’re taking the formation of this new program:
Is the National Saw Program coming to a wooded area near you? Probably not, as the proposed regulations do not apply to private firewood cutters, and only applies on Forest Service land.
