U.S. officials will allow increased logging on federal lands in the Pacific Northwest in the name of fighting wildfires and boosting rural economies under proposed changes to a three-decade-old forest management plan.
The U.S. Forest Service’s proposal, released Friday, would revise the Northwest Forest Plan that governs about 38,000 square miles (99,000 square kilometers) in Oregon, Washington and California.
The plan was adopted in 1994 under President Bill Clinton amid pressure to curb destructive enforcement practices that resulted in large-scale clearcuts and destruction of habitat used by spotted owls. Timber harvests declined dramatically in later years, prompting a political backlash.
But federal officials now say that worsening wildfires due to climate change means forests must be managed more proactively to increase their resilience. Officials said increased logging would also provide a more predictable supply of trees for timber companies, helping rural economies that are suffering after lumber mills close and forestry jobs disappear.
According to a draft environmental study, the proposal could increase annual timber harvesting by at least 33 percent and possibly more than 200 percent. Accordingly, the number of jobs related to wood will increase.
Logging from the 17 national forests covered by the Northwest Forest Plan has been about 445 million board feet annually over the past decade, according to government data.
The study concluded that cutting down more trees would help reduce the risk of wildfires and make communities safer. This will be partly accomplished by allowing felling in some areas with stands of trees up to 120 years old – up from the current age limit of 80 years.
Officials said the change could help promote favorable conditions for growing larger, old-growth trees that are more resistant to fire by removing smaller trees.
A separate pending proposal from President Joe Biden’s administration aims to expand protections for old-growth trees, which play a key role in sequestering carbon dioxide that fuels climate change.
“A lot has changed in society and science since the Northwest Forest Project was created,” Jack Buchanan, regional forester for the Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Region, said in a statement. He said the proposal would help the agency adapt to changing conditions, as global warming increases the frequency of droughts and other extreme weather events.
The proposed plan also calls for closer cooperation between the Forest Service and Native American tribes to capture tribal knowledge about forest management. When the 1994 plan was prepared, the tribes were excluded.
Environmentalists greeted the proposal with skepticism. The group Oregon Wild said it was “deeply troubling” that the Forest Service would release the proposal just before a change in presidential administration.
“It appears that the Forest Service wants to abandon the primary purpose of the Northwest Forest Project – to protect fish and wildlife and the mature and old-growth forests they need to survive,” said John Purcell, an attorney for the group. said in a statement. .
During former President Donald Trump’s first term, administration officials sought to open up millions of acres of West Coast forests to new logging, eliminating habitat protections for the spotted owl, its habitat. The measure was opposed by government biologists and reversed under Biden.
A draft environmental study examined several potential alternatives, including leaving components of the current project in place or changing to reduce or increase logging.
A timber industry representative who co-chaired an advisory committee on the Northwest Forest Plan said the proposed plan was the result of discussions involving committee members, the Forest Service and others.
American Forest Resources Council President Travis Joseph said, “We want to see an innovative approach to federal forest management that protects us from devastating wildfires, reduces toxic smoke, meaningfully involves tribes.” does, and delivers for our rural communities and workers.”
Publication of the proposal kicks off a 120-day public comment period. The Forest Service’s environmental review is expected to be completed by next fall, and a final decision is expected in early 2026.
