The Biden administration has announced a plan to protect old-growth forests on federal land by revising management plans for national forests and grasslands across the U.S. The proposal aims to limit logging in these areas as climate change increases the threats they face from wildfires, insects, and disease. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack stated that the administration is committed to an "ecologically-driven approach to older forests," marking the first nationwide amendment to U.S. Forest Service management plans in the agency’s history.

The move comes in response to calls from environmentalists to preserve older forests, which offer crucial wildlife habitat and store large amounts of carbon that can be released when forests burn. The proposal seeks to sharply limit commercial timber harvests in old-growth forests while allowing logging to continue in mature forests that have not yet reached old-growth stage. The urgency of the issue is underlined by recent wildfires that have killed thousands of giant sequoias in California. The proposal would protect these old-growth forests, including the iconic giant sequoia stands, which have been devastated by wildfires in recent years.

However, the proposal has raised concerns among timber industry representatives, who argue that it could lead to legal challenges against logging projects intended to reduce wildfire risks for communities near forests. Nonetheless, environmental groups have called for even more stringent logging restrictions to be put in place. The proposal is expected to revise management plans for 128 national forests and national grasslands and is due to be completed by early 2025. If implemented, it could mark a significant step forward in the protection of these vital ecosystems.