The U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management are seeking public comment on developing a definition for old-growth and mature forests on federally managed lands.
The definition is part of President Joe Biden’s executive order to strengthen the nation’s forests and communities, requiring both agencies to define, identify and complete an inventory within one year of old-growth and mature forests on federally managed lands.
The Public Lands Council wrote in the Weekend Roundup, “While the agencies hope to produce a versatile and concise definition to guide their inventorying, land use groups are skeptical of their success in pursuing a definition that encompasses the diverse forests making up the (U.S.)
“Groups are also wary of the extent that these agencies may be willing to go when determining what constitutes ‘old growth forests’ and how their management strategies could affect industries like logging, mining and agriculture.”
Written comments can be submitted by August 15 at federalregister.gov by searching for document number 2022-15185.
