Management and conservation of old-growth forests in the United States

In the Pacific Northwest, where the current debate over old-growth management is centered, c17% of the old growth that existed in the early 1800s remains. A number of wildlife species use old-growth forests disproportionately to their occurrence. While much of the old-growth debate emphasizes single species of wildlife, the old-growth management issue more appropriately involves complex and unique forest ecosystems. Management plans for providing old growth must be based on existing stands because replacement stands cannot be produced by silvicultural practices. A number of US Federal statutes mandate the preservation and maintenance of old growth as part of the managed forest, eg the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Forest Management Act. -from Authors