Why old-growth forests matter

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC • April 22, 2021

Ancient forests could get protection in the U.S. under a new directive aimed at helping these remarkable trees survive multiple threats. On April 22, 2022, to mark Earth Day, President Joe Biden signed an executive order mandating the first inventory of the nation’s mature and old-growth forests. The order requires federal scientists to detail the specific threats posed to each forest. A host of prominent experts, including 135 forest scientists, had been urging Biden to protect old-growth forests.