Dear NRDC Activist,

The Klamath National Forest in California … the Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky … the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire.

These are just three of the countless national forests that contain old-growth trees that are vital to our fight against climate change – and all are on the chopping block.

A new proposal from the U.S. Forest Service could help save them – and we need you to make sure they finalize the strongest possible plan.

Will you make your voice heard to save our oldest forests before it’s too late?

Tell the U.S. Forest Service: Protect America’s old-growth and mature trees from destruction!

The Biden administration released an executive order two years ago recognizing the importance of old-growth and mature trees in the fight against climate change and directing the U.S. Forest Service to take steps to protect our oldest forests.

The Forest Service’s new proposal is a critical step forward – but it’s not enough to protect these vital trees from the worsening impacts of the climate crisis.

They’re now accepting public comments on the proposed plan, but only until September 20.

Please submit a comment urging the Forest Service to strengthen their plan to protect our nation’s oldest forests.

Under the Forest Service’s current proposal, our climate-critical old-growth and mature trees could still be sent to the mill. When these trees are cut down and processed, much of their stored carbon is rapidly released.

It can take decades or even centuries to return to the scale of carbon capture provided by our oldest forests. The climate crisis is upon us now as we experience record-shattering heat and widespread climate disasters – we don’t have time to regrow these forests.

That’s why we’re asking the Forest Service for a strong policy that fulfills the promise of the Biden administration’s executive order by: stopping old-growth trees from being cut down and sent to the mill and setting the stage for durable protections for mature trees so they can become our next generation of old-growth trees.

Last year, thousands of NRDC activists like you made your voices heard in support of protecting old-growth and mature trees – and the Forest Service heeded them by issuing this proposed plan. Now, we need you to speak up once again for forest survival.

Please, do your part to help our national forests stand. Send your public comment NOW.

Sincerely,

Garett Rose
Senior Attorney, Nature, NRDC