Land Mature -

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

Mature lands are vital for because older trees store vast amounts of carbon. land mature

: Account for roughly 32 million acres (18% of total federal forest land). In 2023, the U

: Significant accumulation of aboveground biomass and standing dead wood (snags). Strategic Importance & Threats Core Findings of the Inventory Mature lands are

: The Forest Service manages the majority, with 67.4 million acres of mature forest and 24.4 million acres of old-growth. Defining "Mature" Land

: More open and complex canopy structures compared to dense young forests.