John,

Our national forests contain more than 80 million acres of mature trees. They provide critical wildlife habitat, clean our water and air, and suck in huge amounts of global warming pollution.1

But U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and John Barrasso (Wyo.) are trying to direct the U.S. Forest Service to specifically target mature forests for logging and turn many of these majestic trees into stumps.2

We're working hard to stop this bill. But as a grassroots organization, we need your help to stand up to this attack on our forests.

We've set a goal of raising $200,000 by midnight on Dec. 31 to help defend our oldest forests. Will you donate to help stop this legislation from decimating our mature national forests?

If you've ever set foot in one of America's oldest forests, you know how special they are.

From Colorado's Grand Mesa and Gunnison National Forests to Maine's North Woods, our forests contain some of the most stunning natural beauty America has to offer.

Many of these trees are around 100 years old, and once these ecosystems are destroyed, they take decades to start to grow back.3 They must be protected.

The Manchin-Barrasso bill -- titled the "Promoting Effective Forest Management Act" -- would do nothing to protect the nation's climate-critical mature forests. Rather it encourages the federal forest agencies to continue logging them.4

This bill isn't about helping our forests -- it's about rewarding the logging industry. Logging projects could rev up around the country, and their chainsaws and bulldozers would level a mature forest in a matter of hours.

To protect these unforgettable forests while also working to tackle climate change, save the bees, and run all our other campaigns, we're counting on donations from supporters like you.

Will you make a donation to Environment Colorado's Year-End Drive and help save our oldest forests?

Thank you,

Ellen Montgomery

1. Anna Philips, "U.S. has inventoried old-growth forests. Will protection be next?," The Washington Post, April 20, 2023.
2. Ellen Montgomery, "Groups tell Senators: Protect our forests, don't encourage logging," Environment America, September 29, 2022.
3. Craig Welch, "Why old-growth forests matter," National Geographic, April 22, 2022.
4. Ellen Montgomery, "Groups tell Senators: Protect our forests, don't encourage logging," Environment America, September 29, 2022.

Your donation will be used to support all of our campaigns to protect the environment, from saving the bees and protecting public lands, to standing up for clean water and fighting climate change. None of our work would be possible without supporters like you. Environment Colorado may transfer up to $50 per dues-paying member per year into the Environment Colorado Small Donor Committee.