ISTOCK.COM/IZANBAR TOOLS & RESOURCES 2020 Policy Wins WRITTEN BY NATALIE ALEX, POLICY MANAGER AT THE AMERICAN FOREST FOUNDATION T hough the COVID-19 pandemic, catastrophic wildfires, and damaging hurricanes have put a strain on family landowners and rural communities, state and federal lawmakers have amplified the importance of our nation's forests in fighting these natural disasters and recovering from pandemic-induced economic damage. This work could not have been done without your 36 WOODLAND * Winter 2020 outreach and advocacy. Your work has helped ensure our family forests will stay healthy and sustainable. Here's what we were able to accomplish in 2020 thanks to you: Forest as a Key Natural Climate Solution Forests' role in the fight against the climate crisis has attracted more attention in Congress as forest management has been increasingly recognized as a vital aspect to climate resilience and adaptation. Congressman Westerman's Trillion Trees Act, the White House's Trillion Trees Initiative, and various climate reports published by Congress, all include natural climate solutions as an important piece of our country's climate action and key to growing rural economies. Lawmakers are not only seeing forestry as a vital natural climatehttp://www.ISTOCK.COM/IZANBAR