Land Mature [VERIFIED]

: More open and complex canopy structures compared to dense young forests.

In 2023, the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published the first-ever national inventory of on federal lands. This report was a requirement of Executive Order 14072, which aimed to identify and protect these critical ecosystems to combat climate change. Core Findings of the Inventory land mature

: Abundance of large, older trees that have moved past the initial "self-thinning" young stage. : More open and complex canopy structures compared

The USDA Forest Service and BLM manage approximately of forest land in the United States. This report was a requirement of Executive Order

: Account for roughly 32 million acres (18% of total federal forest land).

: The Forest Service manages the majority, with 67.4 million acres of mature forest and 24.4 million acres of old-growth. Defining "Mature" Land

: Significant accumulation of aboveground biomass and standing dead wood (snags). Strategic Importance & Threats