Protect Old-Growth Forests
Protect 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 1890's. We have achieved wins on this topic for over a hundred years by delivering grassroots power and influencing our targets.
Our National Forests must be managed “for the greatest good, for the greatest number, in the longest run”.
Gifford Pinchot, the first chief of the U.S. Forest Service
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. On top of that, 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.
In an era of climate change and biodiversity loss, we must manage for the greatest good and the longest timeline. It has never been more apparent that forests are one of our most important natural resources to offset these crises. Preserving intact ecosystems and allowing them to continue capturing and storing carbon is critical in the fight against climate change.
Recent National Forest Work
In 2022, President Biden took the first major step to safeguard old forests by issuing Executive Order 14072, which promised to ‘define, inventory, and protect’ mature and old-growth forests on federal land managed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
In 2023, with the help of our amazing members and supporters, we helped deliver over 500,000 comments to federal agencies supporting a strong federal rule protecting old-growth and mature forests. This strong grassroots backing supported our work to engage members of Congress, Agency staff, and the White House to lobby for meaningful forest protections.
In 2024, the U.S. Forest Service is developing a national amendment to conserve old-growth forests across the country, and we are committed to ensuring it fulfills President Biden's vision to conserve our oldest forests. This is a critical moment in our fight to protect our forests!
Tell the US Forest Service to Protect Old-Growth Forests!
In 2022, the Biden administration began to chart a course to conserve mature and old-growth forests. Now, the U.S. Forest Service is taking comments on the proposed National Old-Growth Amendment that could protect old-growth forests from logging. This is an important step, but it can and must be stronger.
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Take Action
The U.S. Forest Service is currently taking comments on the proposed National Old-Growth Amendment that could protect old-growth forests from logging. This is an important step, but it can and must be stronger – which is why we need YOUR help!
- Add your name to ask the U.S. Forest Service to strengthen their proposal to protect our forests.
- Read more about the importance of writing a personal comment and learn how to write a compelling personal comment to the U.S. Forest Service on the National Old-Growth Amendment.
- Share this website with a friend and ask them to take action to protect our forests!
- Throw a postcard writing party and send postcards to the U.S. Forest Service! Contact Alex Craven for more information.