US solicits help as it defines old growth and mature forests

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — U.S. officials are asking for outside help as they craft definitions of old growth and mature forests under an executive order from President Joe Biden. The U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management said Thursday (July 14, 2022) that they want public input on a what they call a “universal definition framework” to identify older forests that need protection. Biden in April directed his administration to devise ways to preserve older forests as part of the government’s efforts to combat climate change. Older trees release large volumes of global warming carbon dioxide when they burn.