In 2023, the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published the first-ever national inventory of on federal lands. This report was a requirement of Executive Order 14072, which aimed to identify and protect these critical ecosystems to combat climate change. Core Findings of the Inventory
: Account for roughly 32 million acres (18% of total federal forest land).
: Significant accumulation of aboveground biomass and standing dead wood (snags). Strategic Importance & Threats land mature
Mature lands are vital for because older trees store vast amounts of carbon.
: Account for roughly 80 million acres (45% of total federal forest land). In 2023, the U
: Abundance of large, older trees that have moved past the initial "self-thinning" young stage.
The USDA Forest Service and BLM manage approximately of forest land in the United States. Core Findings of the Inventory : Account for
Mature forests are a developmental stage that precedes old-growth. While definitions vary by forest type, general indicators include: