In 2022, the Biden administration began to chart a course to conserve mature and old-growth forests. Now, the U.S. Forest Service is taking comments on the proposed National Old-Growth Amendment that could protect old-growth forests from logging. This is an important step, but it can and must be stronger.
Forests absorb and store carbon -- in soils, organic matter, and living and dead trees -- better than any other ecosystem. Generally, older trees absorb more carbon each year than their younger counterparts, making old forests one of our most valuable carbon offset tools. On top of that, forests also provide habitat for wildlife, reliable drinking watersheds for nearly half of all Americans, preserve cultural legacies and traditional uses, and offer recreation opportunities. Submit a comment to the U.S. Forest Service asking them to:
- 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.
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