Washington Post – The federal government estimated that more than 100 million acres of old-growth and mature timberlands are still standing on public lands.
The findings are the result of a year-long review ordered last year by President Biden and are likely to inflame tensions with the timber industry over which forests should remain unlogged. But they are also energizing many conservation activists who argue that old-growth forests are vital for storing carbon dioxide that contributes to climate change.
Environmental groups praised the report’s release and said they hoped it would lead the Biden administration to enact new protections for the oldest and largest trees.
The Federal Forest Resource Coalition, a timber industry group, described the report as “lots of data that doesn’t help the Forest Service do what needs to be done: manage unreserved forestlands to reduce fire danger, create wildlife habitat, and provide jobs in economically distressed rural areas… Today’s inventory shows we’re not running out of mature trees.”
Read the story at The Washington Post
Environmentalists: Look at all these mature trees we need to save!
Forest Service & Loggers: Look at all these mature trees we need to cut down!