Biden Administration Advances Restrictions on Logging in Old-Growth Forests

According to a US Government analysis, obtained by The Associated Press (AP) and reported on Thursday (6-20-24), the Biden Administration is advancing its plan to restrict logging within old-growth forests that are increasingly threatened by climate change, with exceptions that include cutting trees to make forests less susceptible to wildfires.

The analysis shows that officials intend to reject a blanket prohibition on old-growth logging that’s long been sought by some environmentalists, AP said. Officials concluded that such a sweeping ban would make it harder to thin forests to better protect communities against wildfires that have grown more severe as the planet has warmed.

“To ensure the longevity of old-growth forests, we’re going to have to take proactive management to protect against wildfire and insects and disease,” Forest Service Deputy Chief Chris French told AP. Without some thinning allowed on these forests, he said there is a risk of losing more trees.

“There’s so little timber sales that occur right now in old-growth … that the overall effects are very small,” French added.