Executive Order 14072 · 2022-04-27

Strengthening the Nation's Forests, Communities, and Local Economies

Federal Lands Must Conserve Mature and Old-Growth Forests

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Signed by Joseph R. Biden Jr.
Published 2022-04-27

What it does

Agencies must inventory mature and old-growth federal forests, set reforestation targets, and develop conservation and wildfire-risk reduction plans.

Real-world impact

  • Creates a public inventory of mature and old-growth federal forests.
  • Requires agency reforestation targets and expanded seed and nursery capacity.
  • Directs reports evaluating actions to limit commodities tied to deforestation.

Topics

forest conservationwildfire riskreforestationinternational deforestationnature-based solutions

Summary

This order directs the federal government to protect, restore, and better manage mature and old-growth forests on federal lands to reduce wildfire risk, store carbon, and support Tribal and local communities.

It requires the agencies that manage public lands to inventory old-growth forests, set reforestation goals and increase seed and nursery capacity, coordinate wildfire risk reduction, and develop conservation policies; it also orders reports on ways to limit imports or supply chains tied to international deforestation.

The goal is to strengthen forest health, support sustainable forest jobs, and use nature-based solutions to address climate and biodiversity loss.

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