Biden administration takes first step to protect more than 100 million acres of forest

The Biden administration on Thursday announced it has identified more than 100 million acres of old-growth and mature forests that could qualify for federal protections.

The acreage identified includes 80 million acres of mature forest and 32 million acres of old-growth forest, according to the Interior and Agriculture departments. Within those, about 24.4 million acres of old growth forest and 67.4 million acres of mature forest are under the jurisdiction of the National Forest Service.

“Healthy, resilient forests are critical to helping us respond to the climate impacts being felt by communities across the country, because they store carbon, provide clean air and water, and sustain biodiversity,” said Tracy Stone-Manning, director of the Bureau of Land Management. “The reports released today will help enhance our work to protect and grow forests by creating a scientific framework for further study and public engagement for effective forest management and protection.”

While the announcement does not outline specific steps by the administration, the administration said it will seek public comments on how to preserve the forests identified as a bulwark against climate change. The public comment period will be open for 60 days.

“This is hopeful news for our country’s magnificent old trees, our climate and the wildlife that depends on these critical ecosystems. The new rule can’t come soon enough,” Randi Spivak, public lands policy director at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement Thursday.

Spivak called on the administration to take further action to establish firmer protections for the identified forests.

“The Forest Service routinely targets mature and old-growth trees for logging. I hope this announcement signals desperately needed change at the agency, including meaningful protections while these rules are written,” she said. “The Forest Service has the power right now to step in and save hundreds of thousands of acres it’s put on the chopping block.”