Biden administration announces plan to protect old-growth forests

WASHINGTON – The Biden administration announced Tuesday a proposed national forest plan amendment, which will change policies for managing old-growth woodlands across the National Forest System. The amendment would protect the last remaining old-growth trees in national forests by adding new safeguards against logging. This action is a step toward fulfilling the promise of President Joe Biden’s April 2022 Executive Order, which directs the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior to address threats to mature and old-growth forests on federal lands and develop policies to conserve them. This announcement follows another Forest Service announcement on December 15 about a proposal to amend the Northwest Forest Plan.

In July, Environment America (the national office of Environment Oregon) and our coalition partners delivered more than 500,000 public comments to the Forest Service calling for the agency to adopt a rule that protects mature and old-growth trees and forests on federal land as a cornerstone of U.S. climate policy. Hundreds of Environment Oregon supporters weighed in by submitting comments over the spring and summer.

In response, Environment Oregon State Director Celeste Meiffren-Swango issued the following statement:

“We thank President Biden and the Forest Service for taking this historic step to protect old-growth national forests from logging. Oregon’s old-growth forests are some of the most amazing in the world. Walking between their giant trunks and crane your neck to try to see the top is one of the most amazing parts of living in Oregon. Not only do they inspire wonder but also our old-growth forests capture and store carbon, so protecting them is essential in our fight against climate change. 

“We hope that this exciting announcement sets a precedent for protecting all of our most valuable trees and forests in Oregon. The federal Bureau of Land Management, which also manages old-growth trees and forests in Oregon, should adopt the same policy of protecting old-growth forests from being included in timber sales. We urge the Forest Service to immediately halt all current timber sales that target old-growth trees and keep these gentle giants standing.”