Thompson Nominates Ken Kane to Serve on National Forest Advisory Committee

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson has nominated Ken Kane, a native of McKean County, Pa., to serve as a member of the National Advisory Committee for Implementation of the National Forest System Land Management Planning Rule. The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) announced its new forest planning rule in January, which included the formation of the committee to advise the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the USFS on implementation of the final rule.

“I write today to nominate Mr. Ken Kane of Pennsylvania, to be a member of the National Advisory Committee for Implementation of the National Forest System Land Management Planning Rule,” wrote Thompson in a letter nominating Kane. “Living in a small town located within the boundaries of the Allegheny National Forest, Mr. Kane has a unique perspective of forestry and understands our nation’s need for healthy, well-managed forests.”

Comprised of up to 21 members from across the country representing a range of public interests, the committee will provide advice and recommendations on issues such as planning rule implementation, best practices, effective monitoring practices and ongoing collaboration efforts.

Thompson, the Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee’s Conservation, Energy, & Forestry Subcommittee, has actively engaged the Forest Service since the agency first released the final rule, emphasizing the need for greater focus on timber harvesting and multiple-use land management – especially the production of our energy resources such as oil and natural gas – and working to ensure that these interests be adequately represented on the newly-formed committee.

Outlining a broad professional background and knowledgebase, Thompson praised Kane’s expertise on forestry policy and his leadership in the industry. “He is very active within the community and is well known and respected throughout Central Pennsylvania, and the forestry industry at large,” the letter stated. “For these many reasons, I respectfully request that Mr. Ken Kane be provided your full and utmost consideration for an appointment to serve as a member of the National Advisory Committee.”

After receiving a Bachelor of Science from the School of Forest Resources at Penn State University in 1982, Kane began his career at the university’s Department of Land and Water Resources as a Research Technologist. Since 1983, Kane has served at Vice President of Keith Horn, Inc., advising foresters on all aspects of forest management and planning.

Kane has also served in a variety of positions for forestry organizations, including as Chairman of the Allegheny Society of American Foresters, Chairman of the Penn Chapter Association of Consulting Foresters, Northeast Regional Director of the Association of Consulting Foresters of America, and as an advisor to various state-level planning committees, including the Pennsylvania Joint Legislative Task Force Advisory Committee and the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

The committee nominating process was published in the Federal Register on January 5, 2012 and closed on February 21, 2012. USDA will announce the final committee members in the coming months.

Pictured, Ken Kane, left, speaks with state representatives Matt Gabler and Scott Hutchinson during a Forest Products Industry Event in May of 2010 in Elk County.
Photo from the state House GOP Policy Committee

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