On December 19, 2023, the Biden-Harris administration proposed a first of its kind National Forest plan amendment to conserve and steward, the amendment is consistent with direction from President Biden in Executive Order 14072 to conserve and restore old and mature forests, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a proposal to amend all 128 forest land management plans to conserve and steward old-growth forest conditions on national forests and grasslands nationwide.
“This proposed amendment will use the best available science, including Indigenous Knowledge, to provide consistent direction related to old-growth forest conditions across National Forests and Grasslands.” – Lexie Rue-Harrris, Tribal Relations Program U.S. Forest Service.
Scoping on this proposal was initiated today as a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement in the Federal Register. The Environmental Impact Statement will evaluate the effects of a national land management plan amendment. Public comments can be submitted via webform.