Biden Administration Withdraws Old-Growth Forest Protection Plan Amid GOP and Timber Industry Pushback
The Biden administration abruptly dropped its plan to protect old-growth forests after facing pushback from GOP members and the timber industry, sparking concern among conservationists over the loss of crucial ecological safeguards.
Published on March 30, 2025
In early January 2025, the Biden administration reversed its long-planned initiative to protect old-growth forests, a move prompted by staunch opposition from Republicans and the timber industry. Originally set in motion by an executive order in April 2022, the plan aimed to curtail logging in these ecologically significant forests—while still allowing limited logging for wildfire prevention—amid growing concerns about climate change impacts.
Conservation groups and environmental experts have raised alarms over the decision, emphasizing the forests' crucial role in carbon storage and biodiversity. Critics argued that many forested regions were already safeguarded and that the restrictions were unnecessary. Announcements by U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore highlighted the administration’s concerns, underscoring the complex balance between environmental protection and industry interests in this policy reversal.