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A new study published in Frontiers in Forests and Global Change has mapped and analyzed the untapped conservation potential of America's old-growth forests. The study found that over one-third of forests in the Lower 48 are 80 years old or older. About one-third of these older forests, covering about 58 million acres, are on national public lands, presenting a clear opportunity to ensure these unique resources are protected at the highest possible level.
Only about 24 percent of forests managed by the U.S. Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management are currently protected, with the remainder open to potential logging. Older forests, if left undisturbed, are especially good at sequestering carbon; the study found that old-growth forests store anywhere from 35 to 70 percent more carbon when compared to more recent single-species stands planted by the timber industry. "Protecting older forests from logging on federal lands is critical to President Biden’s plans to reduce emissions by 2030," said Dominick DellaSala, the lead author of the study. “By avoiding emissions from logging, carbon is retained in the forest and not sent into the atmosphere, which would increase global warming and climate impacts.”
The findings of this study suggest that preserving old-growth forests is one of the easiest strategies available to preserve biodiversity and combat climate change. Older forests on national public lands in the Western U.S. can play a key role in achieving the nation's climate and conservation goals — if they are protected in time.
Interior Department to expand Sand Creek Massacre Historical Site
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced during a ceremony that the Sand Creek Massacre Historical Site in Colorado will nearly double in size following a land acquisition made possible by the Land and Water Conservation Fund and Great Outdoors Colorado. Established in 2007 and managed by the National Park Service, Sand Creek was the site of the 1864 killing of an estimated 230 members of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes by U.S. soldiers.
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Stories like the Sand Creek Massacre are not easy to tell but it is my duty – our duty – to ensure that they are told. This story is part of America’s story.”
