Why It Matters

American Forests, one of the country's oldest forest conservation organizations, has expanded its federal lobbying footprint. The group recently registered Capitol Counsel LLC as an outside firm, adding to its existing in-house lobbying operation and its work with Conservation Pathways LLC. The move comes as forest policy faces significant pressure on multiple fronts, from wildfire legislation to federal budget cuts targeting urban forestry programs.

By The Numbers

American Forests has conducted in-house lobbying through staffer Joel Pannell, filing four disclosures over the past year. It has also worked with Conservation Pathways LLC on two additional filings. The new Capitol Counsel registration lists no dollar amount, as is standard for initial registrations. Capitol Counsel is bringing two lobbyists to the account: Brad Mollet, who has over six years of prior congressional experience, and Sam Barnett, a more recent Hill veteran who served on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee before entering lobbying. Barnett's prior work for the National Alliance of Forest Owners on forestry-specific issues makes him a relevant addition to the team.

The Agenda

The Capitol Counsel registration lists Natural Resources as the issue area, with no specific legislation or issues detailed in the filing. In prior disclosures filed through American Forests' in-house operation, the organization lobbied on the Fix Our Forests Act, FY2026 forestry program funding, surface transportation reauthorization as it relates to urban forestry, and the forestry provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill.

Broader Context

The policy environment around forest funding has shifted considerably. The One Big Beautiful Bill, signed into law on July 4, 2025, included provisions mandating significant increases in annual timber sales from Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands. It also rescinded $450 million in unobligated funds that had been earmarked for competitive forestry grants to non-federal landowners, directly affecting programs American Forests has lobbied to support. Separately, urban and community forestry programs are facing what some state officials have described as existential budget pressure heading into FY2026. The current surface transportation authorization expires September 30, 2026, opening a window for advocacy on urban forestry provisions in the next reauthorization package.

Between the Lines

Congressional activity on forest issues has been active. The Fix Our Forests Act advanced out of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee in October 2025, and a Senate hearing on the bill was held in May 2025. A House Ways and Means hearing on forest health and active management took place in September 2025. In April 2026, the House Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies held a budget hearing featuring the Forest Service chief. American Forests has also been cited in member communications. Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA-4) listed the organization as a supporter of the SAWMILL Act in December 2025. Rep. Kim Schrier (D-WA-8) included American Forests among endorsers of the bipartisan RNGR Support Act of 2026 in March 2026.

Competitive Landscape

Sam Barnett previously lobbied for the National Alliance of Forest Owners on overlapping issues, including the Fix Our Forests Act, wildfire mitigation, and forestry workforce programs. That organization filed multiple quarterly disclosures on those topics through 2024 and 2025. Conservation Pathways LLC, which also represents American Forests, did not detail specific issues in its filings.

The Bottom Line

American Forests is broadening its lobbying team at a moment when federal forest policy is in motion. Budget pressures, a new law reshaping timber sale mandates, and ongoing Fix Our Forests Act negotiations give the organization reasons to want more coverage on Capitol Hill.

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