Federal Report Documents Decline In NC Forestland

(18 December 2003 — Raleigh, NC)  Environmental Defense today called on North Carolina leaders to take immediate steps to protect the state’s forests from fragmentation, over-harvesting and other activities that pose severe threats to one of the state’s most valuable resources.  The U.S. Forest Service and the N.C. Division of Forestry Resources today released forest inventory data that document the continued decline in forestland in the Piedmont and mountain regions of the state.

“For years, report after report has shown that North Carolina forests are in a crisis, but the state still lacks a plan to reverse disturbing trends and put forests back on a sustainable path,” said Will McDow, forest economist with the North Carolina office of Environmental Defense.  “Some policies the state does have in place actually contribute to forest declines.  The continuation of current trends spells economic and ecological disaster in the long run.  Trees readily grow back, but functioning forests do not.”

The Forest Inventory Analysis reports released today conclude that sprawl is destroying forests at record rates and remaining forests are becoming more fragmented.  Forests in North Carolina are younger today than 12 years ago, and young forests lack the same species composition as those that were harvested, raising serious concerns for game and nongame wildlife species.

“Forest resources provide a steady timber supply and are an economic engine for the state, but forests also are essential for clean water, clean air, healthy soils, and game and non-game wildlife species,” said Daniel Whittle, senior attorney with Environmental Defense.  “Development or pine tree farms should not be the only two choices for landowners who have forestland.  The state should develop forest policies that provide meaningful incentives to landowners to keep forest lands in trees and to manage them not only for timber production, but for wildlife and other conservation uses.”