Arrr! Them US officials be suggestin' fancy ways to keep our ancient forests safe from danger, me hearties!
2023-12-19
Arrr, me hearties! The Biden crew be settin' sail to safeguard them mighty trees on federal lands! They be tweakin' their plans for national forests in the U.S, for the scallywags be posin' a greater danger!
The Biden administration is taking steps to protect old-growth trees on federal land by revising management plans for national forests and grasslands. This action is being driven by the increased threats these forests face from wildfires, insects, and disease due to climate change. The goal is to provide an "ecologically-driven" approach to older forests, which have traditionally been dominated by logging interests. This would be the first nationwide amendment to U.S. Forest Service management plans in history.Environmentalists have long called for the preservation of older forests, which provide crucial wildlife habitat and other environmental benefits. However, the timber industry has opposed logging restrictions on government-owned lands. The Biden administration is aiming for a middle ground by limiting commercial timber harvests in old-growth forests while allowing logging to continue in mature forests that have not yet reached old-growth stage.
Old-growth forests, such as the giant sequoia stands in northern California, are important for their undisturbed trees and vegetation. These forests store large amounts of carbon, which can be released during wildfires and contribute to climate change. There is wide consensus on the importance of preserving the oldest and largest trees.
Determining what qualifies as old growth is not a simple task, as growth rates vary among different tree types and depend on factors such as water, sunlight, soil conditions, and wildfire frequency. The government's first-ever national inventory of mature and old-growth forests revealed more older trees than previously estimated.
While some members of the timber industry and Congress have been skeptical of the administration's efforts to protect older forests, the proposal to revise management plans for national forests and grasslands is expected to be completed by early 2025. However, its fate may be uncertain if Biden does not win re-election in 2024. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack emphasized the importance of not taking a step backward after significant progress has been made.