A recent article from the Seattle Times (“Trump targeted 5 national forests in WA for accelerated logging. So what happens now?” – April 15, 2025) details new directives by the Trump administration that set the stage for significantly increased logging across national forests, including in Washington State.
According to the article, the administration’s executive order issued March 1, followed by a memorandum from the Secretary of Agriculture on April 3, calls for a 25% increase in national logging volume. Emergency authorities were invoked to streamline timber sales by bypassing standard environmental review processes under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and related laws.
In Washington, the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie, Gifford Pinchot, Okanogan-Wenatchee, Colville, and Umatilla National Forests are among those targeted for increased timber harvesting. Nationwide, more than 100 million acres—nearly 60% of U.S. national forests—are subject to the administration’s directive.
The Seattle Times article highlights concerns from legal experts and conservation organizations about the legality and ecological impacts of this move. Critics argue that logging older, carbon-rich forests will worsen the climate crisis and that meaningful wildfire risk reduction strategies, such as creating defensible space around communities and conducting prescribed burns, are not being prioritized.
Dominick DellaSala, Chief Scientist at Wild Heritage, states that preserving large, old trees is a key climate strategy. A 2022 peer-reviewed study found that protecting older forests across U.S. public lands could offset nearly 10% of national carbon emissions from fossil fuels.
How the administration’s directives will be implemented remains unclear. Staffing shortages within the Forest Service and the continued application of existing environmental laws are expected to influence the pace and extent of new logging operations.
The full Seattle Times article can be accessed here.