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LET TREES
GROW
PROTECT THE CLIMATE
We believe our mature and old growth forests should be safeguarded as a place where nature thrives. These national treasures should be managed to recover native wildlife, provide clean drinking water for our communities, and to capture carbon and aid in the fight against climate change.
Old-growth trees make forests more fire resilient to forests, thanks to their high moisture content, thick bark, and lack of ladder fuels that lead to crown fires.
Older trees help buffer forests from extreme heat and drought, with deep roots that enhance water storage and access, and cooler microclimates under the shade of their leaves.
These forests protect and provide clean drinking water for millions of Americans, yet remain a rarity on the landscape after centuries of aggressive timber logging.
As climate change worsens, old-growth forests will become increasingly important refugia, protecting climate stressed species.
Our forests are carbon storage powerhouses. 35 Million metric tons of carbon are sequestered from the atmosphere by federal forestlands.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
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Why is it so important to protect our older trees and forests as a critical climate solution?Forests offer the single most powerful and effective way to remove carbon from our atmosphere. Mature and forests and big trees are the natural champions of carbon sequestration, storing carbon for decades, if not centuries. They are a low-cost resource that continues to grow as we all benefit from the services they provide, including clear air, clean water, habitat for wildlife, a haven for biodiversity and myriad options for recreation.
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Are mature and old-growth trees fire resilient?Conserving mature and old-growth trees makes forests more resilient to the impacts of wildfire and does not undermine effective community protection strategies. Mature trees often have thicker protective bark and higher canopies that help prevent the spread of crown fires (Lesmeister et al. 2019, Zald et al. 2018).
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How do mature and old-growth forests prevent erosion and flooding?The extensive networks of root systems in old, undisturbed forests absorb rainfall efficiently, prevent runoff, stabilize water table levels and retain soil moisture. These processes regulate the flow across the land surface and help secure slopes, prevent water and wind erosion, while managing the transport of nutrients and sediments (Watson et al. 2016, DellaSala et al. 2011, Creed et al. 2016, Moomaw et al. 2019).
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How do older forests protect drinking water?Forests naturally filter rainwater. Water from forested watersheds is much cleaner than water from urban or agricultural land. In the U.S., forests provide water to more than 150 million people, our largest source of drinking water (Furniss et al. 2010, USFS 2022, Segura et al. 2020, Perry et al. 2016), helping communities confront climate impacts like drought, heatwaves, and changing rainfall patterns.
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How does protecting mature and old-growth forests help save fish and wildlife?Intact forests allow for generations of fish wildlife to build homes and raise their young, protected by the multi-layered shade of varied-age trees and nurtured by a stable foundation of forest microorganisms. Cavities in old trees and fallen logs are among the most favored nesting spots for birds and other forest dwellers. Older forests moderate latitude, altitude, rainfall and temperature (Watson et al. 2016).
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What are expected impacts to traditional and customary uses by Tribal nations?This campaign recognizes and appreciates the cultural, spiritual, and traditional values these forested lands hold for many Indigenous people. This campaign does not intend to interfere with or impede any traditional and customary uses of land within federal forests. Any protective policies must recognize the importance of these uses, meaningfully engage with Tribal stakeholders, and must not infringe upon Treaty Rights.
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