ENV 695a () / 2024-2025

Yale Forest Forum Series: The Future of Mature and Old-Growth Forests in the U.S.

Credits: 1.5 Fall 2024: Th, 12:00-2:00, Marsh Rotunda/Classroom

With the release of Executive Order (EO) 14072 on April 22, 2022, the Biden Administration placed the health and sustainability of the nation’s forest at the center of its agenda. The EO calls particular attention to the importance of mature and old-growth (MOG) forests on federal lands, citing their integral role as a natural climate solution and diverse cultural and spiritual significance. Stemming from EO 14072, the Mature and Old Growth Initiative is an ongoing effort by the USDA Forest Service to define, inventory, assess, and conserve MOG across federal lands. In collaboration with the Society of American Foresters (SAF), this seminar will focus on the challenge of fostering healthy and resilience federal forests in a changing climate while continuing to ensure they provide the diverse set of services and values that the public depend upon. Beginning with introductory webinars from Agency leadership and staff, we will hear from a series of speakers of different tribes, universities, and non-profits exploring core challenges to this effort, including: how to define MOG, identifying key threats to MOG, the leading science of climate-informed forestry, integrating western and indigenous knowledge, and strategies for meaningful public engagement.