The Allegheny National Forest is set to ramp up logging by more
than 10% this year as part of a push from President Donald Trump
to boost domestic lumber supplies.
The move has sparked fierce debate between environmentalists and
pro-logging groups who disagree on cutting trees to reduce
wildfire risks or improve forest health — two reasons cited in
new federal guidance.
In the coming fiscal year, the state’s only national forest is
set to sell 45 million board feet, an over 12% increase from
this fiscal year, said Alisen Downs, public affairs specialist
for the Allegheny National Forest. The federal government’s
fiscal year begins Oct. 1.
It’s the first step in reaching the national 25% increase called
for in a memo sent to regional foresters and deputy chiefs,
which required the creation of five-year regional strategies.
Allegheny National Forest has proposed a five-year plan starting
next fiscal year, Downs said.
“I think a slow and steady progress toward that increase is
probably the best approach,” said Julia McCray, executive
director of the Allegheny Forest Alliance, which includes local
officials and people from the timber industry.
“Making sure that everything is well planned out and that it is
accomplished efficiently [and] successfully is going to take a
more planned approach,” she added.
While next year’s logging will be an increase from the over 39
million board feet sold for harvest in 2023-24 and the 40
million planned for this year, it’s not an historic high. In
2020-21, almost 50 million board feet were harvested.
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a spending
bill that would require the Forest Service to increase the
average amount harvested between fiscal years 2020 and 2024 by
25%, so long as it’s in line with forest plans, which are
blueprints created by the Forest Service guiding how the lands
are managed.
For Allegheny National Forest, that’s capped at an annual
harvest of 54.1 million board feet, as defined by its ongoing
2007 forest management plan.
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Source:
spotlightpa.org
