The following document was prepared by the Yankee Division of the Society of American Foresters (SAF) in 2020, in response to public sentiment and misinformation suggesting that the cutting of trees was not in keeping with goals of mitigating climate change and sequestering/storing terrestrial carbon. Sounds forestry practices are in fact some of the best tools we have to maintain healthy forests and their function as mitigators of the impacts of climate change and collectors of carbon. It is also the means by which we can preserve biodiversity and provide sustainable and renewable products (timber, maple syrup, etc.) while also meeting carbon and climate goals.

The entirety of SAF has gone on to adopt similar positions, as collected on their website. Continue reading →