“Trump Administration Orders Massive Expansion of Logging in California’s National Forests: What You Need to Know”

California’s national forests are facing a significant threat as the Trump administration has ordered the immediate expansion of timber production in the United States. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins issued an emergency declaration last week, instructing the U.S. Forest Service to open up 112.5 million acres of national forestland to logging.

The order, which affects all 18 of California’s national forests totaling more than 20 million acres, comes as part of President Trump’s executive order to increase American timber production by 25%. The goal is to provide domestic timber supplies, create jobs, reduce wildfire disasters, improve habitats, and lower construction and energy costs.

An internal memo from Chris French, acting associate chief of the Forest Service, directs the heads of all nine forest service regions to develop strategies to increase timber volume by 25% agency-wide over the next four to five years. Environmental groups have expressed outrage over the order, claiming it will bypass legal protections, endanger species, and expedite logging activities.

The Los Padres National Forest, which spans multiple counties, is expected to have at least 80% of its 1.75 million acres impacted by the order. Critics argue that the move will benefit the timber industry at the expense of environmental conservation.

President Trump justified the order by citing the need to reduce reliance on foreign timber producers and address forest management issues that contribute to wildfires. However, experts caution that large-scale logging may not effectively reduce fire risks and could make the landscape more flammable.

California’s forests have been under stress from drought, bark beetle infestations, and increasing tree mortality in recent years. The state’s wildland-urban interface, where human development meets natural landscapes, is also a concern for wildfire risks.

The Forest Service manages 144 million forested acres across 43 states, with approximately 43 million acres suitable for timber production. While the federal order is not specific to California, it highlights the ongoing tensions between the state and the administration regarding forest management policies.

Environmental advocates have vowed to challenge the implementation of the order, calling it a threat to national forests and biodiversity. They argue that the move will result in clearcuts, polluted streams, and the extinction of species. The Center for Biological Diversity has pledged to use legal means to halt the administration’s actions.

Overall, the expansion of timber production in California’s national forests raises concerns about the balance between economic interests and environmental conservation. The long-term impacts of increased logging activities on forest ecosystems and wildlife remain a point of contention among stakeholders.