Old-Growth Forests
Old-Growth Forests
Forest conservation is one of the Sierra Club’s oldest legacy campaigns, dating back to early efforts to protect California’s sequoias in the 1890s. We have succeeded in protecting forests across the country for more than a hundred years.
Coastal Redwoods
Why are old-growth forests important?
Forests absorb and store carbon — in soils, organic matter, and living and dead trees — better than any other ecosystem. Generally, older trees absorb more carbon each year than their younger counterparts, making old forests one of our most valuable tools for taking on climate change. Forests also provide habitat for wildlife, support reliable drinking watersheds for nearly half of all Americans, preserve cultural legacies and traditional uses, and offer recreation opportunities.
It has never been more apparent that forests are one of our most important natural resources to offset these crises. Preserving intact forest ecosystems and allowing them to continue absorbing and storing carbon is critical in the fight against climate change.
National Forests are the largest source of drinking water in the United States. Forests provide clean drinking water to more than 150 million Americans, helping communities confront climate impacts like drought, heatwaves, and changing rainfall patterns.
25%
4,853
age of Earth's oldest living tree
Forests play a crucial role in addressing climate change
Forests are one of the most powerful carbon sinks on the planet. They absorb roughly 25% of the carbon dioxide that human activities release into the atmosphere each year. In the United States alone, 112 million acres of old-growth and mature forests, managed by the Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service, provide an invaluable resource for long-term carbon storage. These forests not only help slow climate change but also offer countless benefits, including clean air, water, and habitat for wildlife.
Victory!
Public land sale efforts have been stopped, for now. The Trump Administration and their partners in Congress are relentlessly pursuing their agenda to kneecap land management agencies and sell-off public lands to the highest bidders. Despite Senator Mike Lee's repeated attempts to sell millions of acres of federal land, a groundswell of public support across the country forced him to abandon the proposal.
What We Are Doing
Sierra Club is fighting for a world where our children and grandchildren will grow up with old-growth forests that help store carbon and mitigate the climate crisis; provide critical habitat; and continue to offer opportunities for cultural practices, spiritual connection, and recreational opportunities. Conservation victories have always been people-powered - and that’s how we will continue to succeed. We are fighting bad timber sales across the country tied to Trump’s Timber and Wildfire Executive Orders, educating people about the value of our national forests, mobilizing grassroots to protect our intact wildlands and policies like the Roadless Rule, and stopping the administration from destroying one of our most precious resources — old forests.
