User:Cardinals34/Forest conservation in the United States

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Forest conservation is the practice of planning and maintaining forested areas for the benefit and sustainability of future generations. Forest conservation involves the upkeep of the natural resources within a forest that are beneficial for both humans and the ecosystem. Forests provide wildlife with a suitable habitat for living which allows the ecosystem to be biodiverse and benefit other natural processes. Forests also filter groundwater and prevent runoff, keeping water safe for human consumption. Of the types of forests in the United States, they each face specific threats. But, there are various techniques to implement that will protect and preserve them.

Different types of forests have adapted throughout history, allowing them to thrive in specific habitats. Forests in the United States can be categorized into three main forest biomes, they are boreal, temperate, or sub-tropical based on the location and climate of the forest. Each of these biomes faces various threats of deforestation, urban development, soil compaction, species extinction, unmanaged recreational use, invasive species, or any combination of these threats. But there are many techniques that can be implemented for forest conservation efforts. This includes methods such as afforestation, reforestation, selective logging, controlled burns, wildland fire use, laws and policies, advocacy groups, and wildlife management areas. Additionally, multiple United States government programs support forest conservation efforts.

Forest Threats

Above is an image of the coverage of untouched forests in the United States in the 1620s, before industrialization.

Deforestation

Here is the coverage of untouched forests in the United States in 1926. There is significantly less coverage since 1620 due to deforestation.

Deforestation is a threat to forests according to foresters. Deforestation is the permanent destruction of forests and woodlands. Deforestation is brought about by commercial logging, conversion of woodlands to agricultural land, and the felling of trees for firewood and building material. Commercial logging is the harvest of timber products for the profit that is gained from selling the product. Illegal logging is a threat to forests. Illegal logging is the harvest of timber for economic gain without permission. This method is a threat because it impedes plans and upkeep of a forest.

Urban Development

Forests are lost to urban development and building projects. When forests are cleared for these reasons, it creates problems that foresters are concerned with. When heavy machinery is used to clear forests or develop land, the soil becomes compacted. When the soil is compacted, the soil particles are packed tightly together. Soil compaction results in water supply not being absorbed by tree roots and can be deadly to the growth of trees. Soil compaction also can create flooding. Compacted soil can not filter the groundwater into the soil, therefore water can build up on the surface creating flooding as a result.

Species Extinction

Species extinction is another threat to our forests. With the removal of forests, animal and plant species suffer. Animal species can not survive without the adequate needs of their lifestyle. Animals need cover, food, and safe areas for the reproduction process. Altering their environment disrupts the life cycle of animal species and they are oftentimes not able to adapt. Food sources are lost to deforestation. Animal species tend to consume plant life to maintain themselves. With the removal of forests, this can result in animals not being able to find food to survive. Unmanaged recreational use is also a threat to forests.

Unmanaged Recreational Use

Unmanaged recreational use is the use of forested lands by the public at an uncontrolled rate. As recreational use has increased among forests, foresters have noticed an increase in land management that is needed. Invasive species threaten forest ecosystems. Invasive species are any species that is not native to that ecosystem and economic harm along with harm to the environment. Invasive species cause disruptions in the function of the ecosystem. These species not only affect the plants within a forest, but they can affect the animals within an ecosystem as well. The financial impact caused by invasive species is 138 billion dollars per year with economic loss and control costs.

Techniques

Controlled burns and wildland fire use

Above is an example of a controlled burn as a technique to preserve forests. Fire is used to restore the undergrowth of a forest and stimulate the germination of new tree species.

Although it can be threatening if it is not controlled, fire is a successful way to conserve forest resources. Controlled burn is a technique that is used to manage forests. Fire can be highly beneficial to the ecosystems within a forest. It renews the forest undergrowth and also stimulates the germination of tree species. In some species of trees, such as the Sequoia, seedlings remain dormant until broken by fire. As a result, these species can not reproduce without fire. Wildland fire use, particularly controlled burns, is an intentional fire to improve the health of a forest. These fire cycles help maintain the diversity of habitats for all species in an ecosystem. These fires also save on suppression costs of fires. Suppression costs are the costs caused by wildfires that are not prescribed. Wildland fire use can help reduce taxpayer costs in the immediate future too.

Government Programs

Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA)

This program was passed in 2020 with bipartisan support and goals of funding conservation lands as well as the infrastructure on recreational lands. There are two main components of the GAOA, one being concrete support for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The other is to initiate the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund, which has an annual budget of $1.9 billion. State agencies can request funding for projects that approach conservation and environmental protection simultaneously with public access. Funding is also provided to projects that address increasing diversity and inclusion of visitors. This addresses economic, ethnic, and racial inequalities while improving equity by increasing access to public lands for communities that have been historically excluded from outdoor recreation. The GAOA is designed to revisit prior systems that have underserved communities and revise them to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)

The Land and Water Conservation Fund Act was enacted in 1965 to support the health of United States citizens by ensuring access to the outdoors while preserving and developing lands. This law generated a fund in the U.S. Treasury as a source to achieve outdoor recreation goals. Today, the majority of the revenue for the LWCF is from oil and gas leasing in the Outer Continental Shelf. Each year, the United States Congress will determine how much funding is to be allocated to serve three purposes. The first is purchasing land for federal agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Forest Service to support outdoor recreation. Second, the funds are part of a matching grant program that supports states in managing recreational facilities and lands. The funds are spread throughout the states based on priority of projects and whatever is left over gets spread to states based on need. There is also a competitive state grant program where projects must meet certain criteria to get the money. The third purpose is to fund other federal programs such as the Forestry Legacy Program and the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund that share similar objectives.

Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)

The Inflation Reduction Act law was passed in 2022 as a commitment to invest in clean energy and climate action over ten years of funding. Forestry efforts, like large tree plantings, around the country to sequester carbon in the atmosphere receive $2.2 billion. Also, the U.S. Forest Service has awarded states and territories $250 million to ensure equitable access to trees for urban communities. This will eventually be increased to $1 billion to continue funding grants that support projects emphasizing equitable access to green spaces or forests within urban communities. Funding is also available for Forest Landowner Support, providing $450 million in grants to underserved owners or those who have small acreage and work to mitigate climate change and/or bring focus to forest resilience . $700 million worth of funds are allocated to the Forestry Legacy Program that states and land trusts use to purchase areas so they do not get developed. To preserve biodiversity, $50 million is being used to protect old-growth forests. And $1.8 billion is for projects that reduce hazardous fuels in national forests, specifically out West. This will restore forests and minimize wildfire risk, it is done by managing vegetation that carries and encourages wildfires to prevent them from destroying communities.