Campton, N.H. — Today, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02), founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Ski and Snowboard Caucus, met with White Mountain Forest Service staff and leadership to hear about their ongoing work to manage the White Mountain National Forest and the challenges they are facing. During the discussion, Kuster highlighted her work to protect New Hampshire’s forests and better equip the Forest Service to respond to fires and other natural disasters, address critical maintenance backlogs, and more.

“New Hampshire is home to the most beautiful land in the country — and that includes the incredible White Mountain National Forest,” said Rep. Kuster. “In order to preserve our iconic public lands for generations to come, we must prioritize continued maintenance. I have been proud to champion legislation in Congress to invest in the long-term health and well-being of our public forests. The Forest Service is an excellent steward of this land, and it was wonderful to meet with their leadership today to talk about how Congress can support their work and help mitigate wildfires and other natural disasters. Together, we will ensure New Hampshire’s landscape is preserved for years to come.”

“We were pleased to host Congresswoman Kuster and her staff at our Campton office this morning,” said Derek Ibarguen, White Mountain National Forest Supervisor. “The visit provided us with an opportunity to highlight the work White Mountain National Forest staff are currently working on, and discuss how we’re utilizing GAOA funding on local projects to address deferred maintenance and ensure a sustainable infrastructure for the future.”

Annie Kuster is a steadfast activist for New Hampshire’s forests and forestlands. Last month, thanks to Rep. Kuster’s leadership, the House passed H.R. 5118, the Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act. This package provides strategic and targeted investments to improve conditions for fire-adapted ecosystems, protect communities from catastrophic wildfires, provide for expanded science programs, enhance drought resiliency, modernize data and technology when responding to droughts, and ensure a whole-of-government approach to these issues.

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