
Add your name: The U.S. Forest Service should conserve old-growth and mature forests
The U.S. Forest Service should conserve old-growth and mature forests
America’s oldest trees have stood for thousands of years, but many could be chopped down at any time.
America’s oldest trees have stood for thousands of years, but many could be chopped down at any time.
That’s because, right now, more than 50-million acres of old-growth and mature trees remain unprotected. In the absence of federal protections, 22 old-growth and mature forests have already been targeted for logging.
We’re working to ensure that the country’s oldest forests survive — and that’s where you come in. We need to tell the Forest Service: Protect our oldest trees from logging.
California’s oldest giant sequoias have lived for 3,000 years. In the Hoh Rainforest in Washington, moss-draped spruce and hemlock have stood since the 1500s. What these and other old-growth trees have in common is that they are critical to the health of our planet.
Old-growth and mature trees store much more carbon than younger forests. One study found that the three biggest trees across six forests in Oregon stored 42% of the carbon. If logged, the carbon stored in these trees would be released into the atmosphere.
Here’s the good news: We have the opportunity to ensure that these trees remain standing.
The Forest Service is drafting policies that would affect the way that mature and old-growth forests are managed. The Forest Service is accepting public input on this policy, and is legally obligated to review and consider all comments in its decision-making.
Add your name to tell the Forest Service to enact the strongest possible protections for old-growth and mature trees.
The U.S. Forest Service should conserve old-growth and mature forests
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