US Forest Service Proposes More Logging in the Pacific Northwest to Reduce Wildfires

On Friday, the US Forest Service (USFS) released a proposal that would overhaul the Northwest Forest Plan that governs about 38,000 square miles (99,000 square kilometers) in Oregon, Washington, and California, the Associated Press reported (11-17-24).

Harvest volumes from the 17 national forests covered by the Northwest Forest Plan averaged about 445 million board feet annually over the past decade, according to government figures.

The current plan was adopted in 1994 under President Bill Clinton amid pressure to curb destructive logging practices that resulted in widespread clearcuts and destroyed habitat used by spotted owls. Timber harvests dropped dramatically in subsequent years, spurring political backlash.

Under the new proposal, US officials would allow increased logging on federal lands across the Pacific Northwest in the name of fighting wildfires and boosting rural economies. A recent study concluded that cutting more trees would help reduce wildfire risk and make communities safer. That would be accomplished in part by allowing cuts in some areas with stands of trees up to 120 years old—up from the current age threshold of 80 years.

Federal officials say worsening wildfires due to climate change mean forests must be more actively managed to increase their resiliency. Increased logging also would provide a more predictable supply of trees for timber companies, officials said, helping rural economies that have suffered after lumber mills shut down and forestry jobs disappeared.

The proposal could increase annual timber harvests by at least 33% and potentially more than 200%, according to a draft environmental study. The number of timber-related jobs would increase accordingly.