Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ), questions U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell about the challenges and opportunities for improving forest management on federal lands during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing.

Stewardship contracting authorizes the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to enter contracts that combine timber harvesting with forest restoration work. This authority, which has proven successful in reducing fire hazards, restoring watersheds, and promoting healthy forests, is soon scheduled to expire.