Where to Start

Writing a personal comment to a federal agency can feel daunting and it can be hard to know where to begin. The most important thing to remember is to share YOUR experiences and WHY this issue matters to you.

1. Use this webpage for reference as you draft your personal comment. Your comment can be 2 sentences long or 2 pages long – whatever feels right for your story!
2. Once you have drafted your personal comment using the resources below, submit it here and we will deliver it to the U.S. Forest Service!

How to Tell YOUR Story

The goal with personal comments is to share your vision of the world you're trying to build and the solutions needed to get there. A very effective way to do that is to use the Narrative Arc (which is based on the work and research of Marshall Ganz, an organizer and professor who organized with Cesar Chavez and helped develop the narrative and organizing campaign that Obama used in his 2008 election).

Below, you can see a version of the Narrative Arc worksheet filled out with talking points about the U.S. Forest Service old-growth amendment process. You can use this to help organize your thoughts when writing your personal comment.

Narrative arc worksheet developed by Sara Dillon

Story of Self: We begin this way – with “I am / we are…” in order to root communications in the stories and values of real people and define and create empathy for the messenger.

Story of Us: We next shift to our vision and values as a way to name the future we want and the ideas that motivate us that will also resonate with the people we want to organize to join us – and to open up the possibility for action and progress. We share our vision and values before naming the problems/obstacles because when we start with the negative, we often create a sense of apathy and inaction.

Story of Now: Before moving on to tackle the problem or obstacle to our vision – the thing we’re trying to change – take at least a few words to characterize the current moment.

The Problem: In this section, we get specific about the obstacles that are standing in the way of our vision and values. In this instance, the problem is corporate interests that want to continue logging our forests rather than protect and conserve them.

The Solution: The solution(s) are the specific fixes we want to achieve that will address the problem. In this case, the solution is for the U.S. Forest Service to prioritize conservation over logging and other extractive uses.

Call to Action: The action depends on who we’re directly speaking to and will be the most variable of the pieces of your narrative. 

Talking Points

Feel free to use these talking points as you craft your personal comment:

• Specific Asks for the U.S. Forest Service Old-Growth Amendment
  • Stop old-growth trees from going to the mill. There is broad agreement that what we have left is too precious to cut. 
  • Lay groundwork for durable protections for mature forests, to ensure that they are able to develop into our next generation of old-growth forests.
• Old-Growth Forest Management
  • Despite being cherished across the country, old-growth forests on federal lands remain unprotected from logging. 
  • Most Americans don’t know this, but National Forests are managed very differently than our National Parks
    • National Forests are within the Department of Agriculture - and treated just like a crop.
    • That’s just wrong. Especially for mature and old-growth.
• Your Connection to Forests
  • Recall the first forest you explored. 
    • Where was it? How old were you? What did you see?
  • Do you remember the first time you saw a photo of a particular forest that captured your imagination? 
    • Where was it? Have you been there yet? 
  • If we protect these forests, future generations will be able to make those same memories.
• Forests are Valuable! They Provide…
  • Clean Water
    • For more than half of the population of the United States, clean water doesn’t start at the tap – it starts in a nearby National Forest. 
  • Carbon Storage and Climate Solutions
    • Forests are one of the most efficient, scalable, and cost-effective ways we have to absorb and store carbon – period. 
    • According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which is specifically dedicated to advancing climate change science: “Forestry can make a very significant contribution to a low-cost global mitigation portfolio that provides synergies with adaptation and sustainable development. However, this opportunity is being lost in the current institutional context and lack of political will to implement and has resulted in only a small portion of this potential being realized at present."
    • Protecting forests is not only a low-cost carbon solution but also one that boosts climate adaptation and sustainable development.
    • The science is clear, the best tool for addressing carbon pollution is also the oldest – our trees and forests.
  • Wildlife Habitat
    • Protecting our forests keeps more than trees standing – it preserves vital habitat for the wildlife we love
    • More than 3,000 species of wildlife live within our National Forests!
    • Right now, the U.S. loses a football field worth of natural space to development every 30 seconds, putting countless vulnerable species at risk of extinction.
  • Outdoor Recreation
    • Protecting our forests is an investment in our economy and expands outdoor equity.
    • In 2019, Forest Service lands tallied 150 million recreation visits, generated $10.1 billion in local spending, and supported 153,800 jobs.
    • 80% of outdoor activities -- from camping to fishing to sport climbing -- have seen an increase in participation in recent years, and those visiting the outdoors are becoming more diverse.