E&E NEWS • August 14, 2023
Activists are condemning a recent Forest Service report to Congress, saying one of its conclusions supports a policy that would worsen climate change by allowing the removal of old trees that absorb large amounts of carbon. The report says aging forests absorb less carbon than younger forests as tree growth slows. But some climate scientists and environmental groups consider the conclusion misleading and largely inaccurate. The debate around the ability of older forests to offset emissions could influence the Biden administration’s forest conservation policy. The Forest Service is drafting new federal rules to better manage forests and grasslands for climate resiliency.