Old-Growth Forests Are Special. Why Are They Under Threat?

Old-growth forests provide a lot of services that are unique from their younger counterparts, from increased carbon storage capabilities to homes for several endangered species. And on Wednesday, the United States announced the rollback of a rule preventing commercial logging and road construction in the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, opening up 9.3 million acres of land in the United States’ largest carbon sink to logging and development. Unfortunately, the Tongass is one of many old-growth forests facing these types of threats. Today, we’ll cover why old-growth forests are important, what issues they face, and where we can go from here. With special guest Dr. Michael Dietze: Associate Professor of Earth & Environment at Boston University.