BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — The Biden administration is moving forward with its plan to impose restrictions on logging within old-growth forests that are increasingly at risk due to climate change. The plan includes exceptions for tree cutting to reduce the susceptibility of forests to wildfires, as detailed in a U.S. government analysis obtained by The Associated Press.
The analysis, set to be released on Friday, reveals that officials will not institute a blanket ban on old-growth logging as some environmentalists have demanded. Officials believe that a complete prohibition would hinder efforts to thin forests and protect communities from worsening wildfires caused by global warming.
“To preserve old-growth forests, proactive management measures are necessary to guard against wildfires, insects, and disease,” stated Forest Service Deputy Chief Chris French. He emphasized the importance of some level of thinning to prevent further losses in tree populations.
While the exceptions allowing logging may not satisfy the timber industry and Republican lawmakers, French insists that the impact on timber companies would be minimal.
The U.S. timber industry workforce has decreased by 30% since 2001, with most of their activities shifting to private and state lands. The proposed changes represent a departure for an agency historically supportive of logging and are expected to be finalized before the end of President Joe Biden’s term in January.
The urgency of the issue is underscored by wildfires that have devastated giant sequoias in recent years. Preserving old-growth forests is critical due to their role in storing large amounts of carbon that can contribute to climate change if released during fires.
The administration’s proposed changes would eliminate limited old-growth timber harvests in the Tongass National Forest and seek to conservatively manage old-growth forests nationwide.
Environmentalists have called for more stringent restrictions on logging in federal lands across multiple states, with concerns about protecting and restoring resilient old-growth forests amid climate change challenges.
Government inventories have identified significant areas of old-growth and mature forests on federal lands, underscoring the need for conservation efforts to balance with extractive industries like logging and energy development.
Despite some progress, environmental groups like The Wilderness Society are pushing for further protections to ensure the long-term preservation of old-growth forests in the face of climate change.
Under the previous administration, efforts were made to expand logging in West Coast forests, but these plans were reversed in 2021 due to concerns about faulty science used to justify the proposals.
