Read this Seattle Times article discussing the proposed amendments to the Northwest Forest Plan, which would allow increased logging across millions of acres of federal land in Washington, Oregon, and California, including older trees that have been off-limits for decades. Originally enacted in 1994 to protect old-growth forests and endangered species like the northern spotted owl, the plan has seen setbacks due to nearly 7% of protected old-growth forests being lost to wildfires. The Forest Service’s proposed updates aim to address wildfire risks, improve forest resilience, and create economic opportunities for rural communities, emphasizing restoration logging, burning, and thinning in dense forests.
Critics, including Dominick DellaSala, chief scientist at Wild Heritage, argue that these changes undermine the conservation goals of the original plan, which he calls a global model for biodiversity conservation. DellaSala warns that the amendments represent a “major step back,” potentially threatening old-growth forests that are critical for climate protection, carbon storage, and clean air and water. He emphasizes that reforestation and extended harvest rotations on private lands are better strategies for preserving these vital ecosystems.