"More than 110 million acres of federally owned forests are old enough to potentially warrant protection as safeguards against climate change, the Biden administration said Thursday in the federal government’s first effort to identify such lands across the country.
In an inventory of mature and old-growth forests and related documents, the administration didn’t propose any specific protections it might consider. But the administration said it will seek public comment on how best to manage national forests and grasslands for climate resilience, as the forests mitigate the warming climate and are also at risk from it. And officials detailed separate plans for reforestation between now and 2030, identifying 2.3 million acres of public lands in need of planting after wildfires and other disturbances.
“Our forest ecosystems and communities are struggling to keep up with the stresses of climate change, whether it’s fire, drought, or insect infestations, it is clear that we must adapt quickly,” said Undersecretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and Environment Homer Wilkes in a news release. "
Marc Heller reports for E&E News April 20, 2023.
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