Forest Service Proposes Unprecedented Logging of Mature, Old-Growth Forests in Western Colorado

Conservation Groups File Objections to Proposed Forest Management Plan in Western Colorado

DELTA, Colo. — Conservation groups filed objections this week to the U.S. Forest Service’s proposed final management plan for the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison national forests in western Colorado. The plan would allow commercial logging on more than 772,000 acres of public lands, including mature and old-growth trees — a 66% increase from the current forest plan.

Concerns Over Sustainable Development Goals

• The proposed plan violates federal policy on protecting mature and old-growth trees, which are crucial for carbon sequestration (SDG 13: Climate Action).
• Logging on steep slopes poses a high risk of severe erosion and threats to water quality (SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation).
• The plan fails to address the urgent need for climate action by prohibiting new coal leasing (SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy).
• The local community’s conservation proposal for new wilderness lands was largely ignored (SDG 15: Life on Land).
• The plan neglects the protection of pristine forestlands from logging and oil and gas drilling (SDG 15: Life on Land).
• The plan does not adequately address the needs of plants and animals dependent on the forests (SDG 15: Life on Land).

“A sizeable area of our beloved forests could be sacrificed to commercial logging at the expense of our already dwindling wilderness areas, wildlife habitat, and recreation,” said Chad Reich with High Country Conservation Advocates. “Outdoor recreation is a far larger economic driver for our communities than the local timber industry that benefits from cutting these forests. The Forest Service would’ve known that if it had conducted an economic analysis, as required by law.”

Under the proposed plan, mature and old-growth forests, which store massive amounts of carbon, could be commercially logged. Forest managers would not be required to identify and protect old-growth and mature trees. Steep slopes across the forests, including Upper Taylor Canyon and Slate River Valley, could also be logged despite the high risk of severe erosion and threats to water quality.

“The proposed plan directly violates federal policy on protecting mature and old-growth trees as a cornerstone of U.S. climate action,” said Alison Gallensky, conservation geographer with Rocky Mountain Wild. “The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison national forests boast the highest carbon sequestration capacity of any national forest in the Rocky Mountain region. Despite this, the Forest Service has failed to ensure these vital carbon sinks aren’t logged and sold.”

Objections Raised by Conservation Groups

• Objections were raised against the Forest Service’s failure to take urgent climate action by prohibiting new coal leasing in the plan.
• The proposed plan ignores local input and recommendations for new wilderness areas and special management designations.
• Concerns were raised about the plan’s failure to address the needs of plants and animals dependent on the forests.

Delta County, home of the national forests’ headquarters, has already warmed 3.9 degrees Fahrenheit over the last 125 years driven by human-caused climate change.

“Instead of providing real climate solutions and finally putting an end to coal leasing, it’s business as usual under this disastrous forest-clearing plan,” said Allison Henderson, Southern Rockies director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Our wildlife, water, forests, and communities are already suffering the consequences of the climate emergency. The Forest Service must address the existential threat of human-caused climate change and preserve our remaining national forests rather than selling them to the highest bidder.”

The Forest Service recommended adding only 46,200 acres of new wilderness area in the final plan. The community’s conservation proposal had called for more than 324,000 acres of new wilderness lands. In addition, the Gunnison Public Lands Initiative offered a broadly supported proposal for new wilderness and special management areas in Gunnison County that was mostly excluded.

“The proposed plan largely ignores local input by recommending only a small fraction of viable lands as wilderness, completely ignoring the support of local communities and deserving wilderness quality lands across these forests,” said Jim Ramey, Colorado state director at The Wilderness Society. “This is particularly disappointing in Gunnison County, where the community came together over a multi-year, consensus-based stakeholder process to recommend areas for wilderness and special management designation through the Gunnison Public Lands Initiative, which the Forest Service mostly neglected.”

“Community members proposed special management area designations to protect pristine forestlands in the North Fork Valley from logging and oil and gas drilling,” said Peter Hart, legal director at Wilderness Workshop. “The Forest Service ignored those proposals and chose not to protect those areas in the new plan.”

The groups also raised concerns about the plan’s failure to address the myriad needs of plants and animals that depend on the forests.

“Over 20 years ago, Colorado Parks and Wildlife reintroduced Canada lynx to the San Juan Mountains,” said Rocky Smith, a long-time forest management analyst. “This is a great source of pride for wildlife lovers in this state. Lynx are federally threatened and depend on mature forests with large trees. This plan allows for logging that could easily degrade or destroy much of the best habitat for lynx and their main prey, snowshoe hares, and undermine Colorado’s hard work to reestablish and maintain a viable lynx population.”

The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison national forests also provide habitat for the iconic bighorn sheep and lesser-known species like the Grand

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 13: Climate Action
• SDG 15: Life on Land

The article discusses the proposed final management plan for the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison national forests in western Colorado. The plan includes allowing commercial logging on public lands, which raises concerns about the impact on wilderness areas, wildlife habitat, and recreation. It also mentions the violation of federal policy on protecting mature and old-growth trees as a cornerstone of U.S. climate action. Therefore, SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 15 (Life on Land) are connected to the issues highlighted in the article.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning
• SDG 15.2: Promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests
• SDG 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce degradation of natural habitats

Based on the article’s content, the specific targets under SDG 13 (Climate Action) include integrating climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning (SDG 13.2). Under SDG 15 (Life on Land), the specific targets include promoting the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests (SDG 15.2) and taking urgent and significant action to reduce degradation of natural habitats (SDG 15.5).

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 13.2.1: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning measures into national policies, strategies, and planning
• Indicator 15.2.1: Progress towards sustainable forest management
• Indicator 15.5.1: Red List Index

The article does not explicitly mention specific indicators. However, to measure progress towards the identified targets, the following indicators can be used:
– Indicator 13.2.1: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.
– Indicator 15.2.1: Progress towards sustainable forest management.
– Indicator 15.5.1: Red List Index, which measures changes in the extinction risk of species over time.

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: biologicaldiversity.org

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