USDA Greenlights Major Logging Surge in California’s Wildfire-Scarred Forests

USDA Greenlights Major Logging Surge in California’s Wildfire-Scarred Forests

DECK
Massive timber push to reshape 113 million acres of federal forests; critics warn of environmental damage and lawsuits loom

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KEY FACTS

• What: USDA issues emergency order to expand logging operations across national forests.

• Where: Affects 113 million acres nationwide, including vast tracts of California forests.

• When: Announced Friday, April 4.

• Why: Officials cite wildfire dangers, insect outbreaks, and timber supply shortages.

• How: Streamlined permitting and reduced environmental oversight under federal directive.

• Reactions: Environmental groups plan lawsuits; industry celebrates policy shift.

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SITUATION SNAPSHOT
Towering slopes once blackened by flames may soon echo with the roar of chainsaws. In Southern California, iconic national forests like Angeles and San Bernardino face an uncertain future, as federal officials move swiftly to ramp up logging efforts. As charred earth gives way to new threats—like floods and landslides—conflict brews between preservationists and policymakers.

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WHAT WE KNOW
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins issued an emergency declaration on April 4, activating a broad policy shift aimed at expanding logging operations across national forests. The directive mandates a 25% increase in timber production on over 112 million acres—roughly 59% of the entire National Forest System.

The move aligns with two executive orders from President Donald Trump in March, which called for easing environmental regulations and boosting domestic timber harvesting.

Maps released with the order highlight regions targeted for increased activity, including much of California’s northern and southern woodlands—such as Angeles, San Bernardino, Los Padres, and Cleveland National Forests.

Rollins described the initiative as critical to mitigating the compounded risks of fire, insect infestations, and deteriorating forest health. “These actions will improve the durability, resilience, and resistance to fire, insects, and disease within national forests and grasslands across the National Forest System,” she stated.

Post-fire assessments from the USDA warn that scorched areas, including those affected by the Eaton Fire, face “significant” threats from mudslides and flooding due to vegetation loss and destabilized slopes.

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WHAT’S NEXT
The USDA Forest Service is preparing to carry out the directive through accelerated permitting, while agencies brace for litigation from conservation groups. Environmental organizations, such as the Center for Biological Diversity, have already announced plans to challenge specific projects in court.

Forest management teams are expected to begin logging operations in affected areas as early as this summer, while additional guidance from federal agencies is anticipated in the coming weeks.

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VOICES ON THE GROUND
“They are after timber. The Angeles National Forest does have a good pine forest component. Up until now there is not much logging on the Angeles, but this order could change that,” — Randi Spivak, Center for Biological Diversity.

“Healthy forests require work, and right now, we’re facing a national forest emergency. We have an abundance of timber at high risk of wildfires in our National Forests,” — USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins.

“These are common-sense directives,” — Travis Joseph, American Forest Resource Council.

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CONTEXT 
Decades of federal restrictions on logging have led to mounting tensions between conservation priorities and timber industry demands. Advocates for increased forest thinning argue it can reduce wildfire intensity and support rural economies, especially in the West. However, critics caution that aggressive logging can further destabilize delicate ecosystems already strained by climate change and fire damage.

Previous efforts to relax environmental reviews under different administrations have faced legal hurdles, and this sweeping emergency action could spark renewed court battles.

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REPORTER INSIGHT
From Michigan’s Manistee and Huron forests to California’s wildfire-ravaged hillsides, the scope of the USDA’s plan is staggering. Traveling through these woods reveals a fragile balance—trunks blackened by fire, soil clinging to steep terrain, saplings striving to take hold. Whether this policy will protect or further imperil these lands remains a question only time—and weather—can answer.