For decades, the federal timber sale program paid its own way. And because it did, the Department of Agriculture was one of only two cabinet-level departments in the entire government that paid its own way. The other was the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Thanks to the litigation mess promulgated by radical environmentalists and their friends in Congress, the federal timber sale program hasn't paid its own way for years. But hope springs eternal. Our colleague, W.V. "Mac" McConnell, who worked for the U.S. Forest Service for many years, has sent us an updated version of a Power Point presentation he developed. Click below to view McConnell's piece.

McConnell reports that around Tallahassee, Florida where he lives in retirement there is growing public support for a self-funding forest restoration program. No wonder. Have a look at the last image in his presentation.

The usual suspects will, of course, scoff at the very idea of a self-funding forestry program of any kind. This is why we have goof balls running around the Southwest saying they'll support thinning programs in dead and dying federal forests, so long as the dead trees are buried in the ground, not sold. God help us if the federal forest restoration program should actually pay its own way! So it goes with those who hate free markets and entrepreneurship more than they love forests.

McConnell Powerpoint