FFRC Press Statement on Forest Service National Old Growth Plan Amendment: June 20, 2024: Washington, DC: FFRC Executive Director Bill Imbergamo issued the following statement regarding Draft EIS for the Forest Service National Old Growth Amendment:
“FFRC is disappointed that the Administration continues to pursue further restrictions on management of the National Forests in the face of unprecedented forest health and wildfire challenges. We do not believe focusing on older forests is a good way to address those challenges, and we are extremely concerned about the disruption this unprecedented approach will have on urgently needed management efforts.”
“The USDA’s recently released ‘threat assessment’ for old growth found that existing Forest Plans restrict tree cutting in old-growth forests to conditions where tree cutting benefits the durability of the old-growth through stewardship that maintains old-growth characteristics. Wildfire caused the destruction of over 700,000 acres of old growth since 2000, while insects and disease destroyed another 182,000 acres. That’s 98 times more acres than was impacted by timber harvest.”
“Rather than waste limited staff time and resources re-writing Forest Plans and developing old growth management approaches, the Forest Service ought to use the authorities and funding Congress has provided to focus on reducing the threat of catastrophic wildfires and insect outbreaks on our public lands before it’s too late.”
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For more information, contact Bill Imbergamo, Executive Director, at 703-629-6877 or [email protected]
About the FFRC: FFRC is a national coalition of wood products companies, local governments, conservation groups united by concern for the National Forests. FFRC supports improving the management of the federal lands to support healthy forests and vibrant rural communities.
Federal Forest Resource Coalition
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