A sweeping executive order signed by President Donald Trump aims to drastically expand U.S. timber production—up 25% over the next four years—by slashing environmental protections and accelerating logging across 112 million acres of national forestland.

While the administration frames the move as a response to wildfire threats and timber shortages, critics warn it represents the most aggressive rollback of forest safeguards in a generation.

At the heart of the initiative is a presidential directive that instructs the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to expedite timber sales, reduce regulatory review, and open previously protected lands to commercial logging. The rationale: to bolster the domestic timber industry, cut reliance on Canadian imports, and manage what the administration claims is a growing wildfire crisis. But environmental advocates say the plan targets old-growth forests and endangered species habitat under the guise of emergency management.

Over 100 million acres of national forests are being opened to logging.

Vast Lands, Loosened Laws

More than half of the nation's national forests—nearly 60%—have been placed under an "emergency situation determination" that allows the Forest Service to bypass the National Environmental Policy Act and fast-track logging projects, USA Today reports. This includes every one of California’s 18 national forests, as confirmed by the USDA, affecting over 20 million acres according to the Los Angeles Times.

In the Pacific Northwest, old-growth stands in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie, Gifford Pinchot, and other iconic forests are being targeted, potentially disrupting sensitive ecosystems and popular recreation areas The Seattle Times reports.

Forest managers have been instructed to complete five-year strategies for ramping up logging volumes, with an initial 30-day window to submit implementation plans, according to the White House directive.

Over 100 million acres of national forests are being opened to logging.

Environmental Safeguards Side-Stepped

The Trump administration’s plan allows agencies to suspend or revise regulations that are deemed “undue burdens” on timber production. That includes provisions under the Endangered Species Act, which typically require rigorous consultation to protect habitats. Now, those consultations may be delegated or delayed entirely, Spotlight PA reports.

In Pennsylvania’s Allegheny National Forest, over 98% of its 500,000 acres are classified as at risk of insect infestation, placing it squarely in the administration’s crosshairs. Critics say the emergency designation is being used to bypass environmental review and silence public objections.

“There is no emergency… the forests are happy as clams,” Andy Stahl, executive director of Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics, told Spotlight PA.

Endangered species habitats are directly in the path of new timber plans.

Wildfire Argument Lacks Scientific Support

The administration’s justification—that increased logging will reduce wildfire risk—is disputed by forest ecologists. Large, mature trees are more fire-resistant due to thick bark and high moisture content. In contrast, recently logged areas often leave behind flammable debris and fast-growing brush, which can worsen fire conditions.

“What is more likely to burn is a recently cleared forest,” Will Harlan of the Center for Biological Diversity told Spotlight PA. And in California, where drought and bark beetles have already weakened forests, critics say clearcutting is likely to exacerbate instability rather than reduce it the Los Angeles Times reports.

Federal law protections like NEPA and ESA are being weakened.

Industry Cheers, Environmentalists Sue

Timber industry groups have welcomed the rollback. The American Forest Resource Council called the move “common sense” and argued that only 35% of national forests are currently available for timber harvests, according to USA Today. But environmental organizations say the executive order is a “logging giveaway.” The Sierra Club and Center for Biological Diversity both pledged legal challenges, warning of irreversible harm to wildlife and watersheds. “Unleashing the bulldozers and chainsaws on these beautiful public lands will result in clearcuts, polluted streams and extinct species,” Randi Spivak of the Center for Biological Diversity told the Los Angeles Times.

Economic Logic Also Questioned

While the administration argues that boosting logging will create jobs and reduce housing costs, economic experts remain unconvinced. The U.S. housing market drives lumber demand, and housing starts remain low in 2025. Without strong economic incentives, industry experts say mills won’t rush to harvest more trees.

“If you're not seeing people building homes, it's hard to imagine we're going to have much demand,” Jeff Reimer, an economist at Oregon State University, told USA Today.

Tariffs on Canadian lumber—set to increase to 34%—might make domestic timber more attractive. But even then, the Southeast supplies most housing-related lumber, while Western forests, which are now being opened to logging, tend to serve different markets.

Scientists say logging can worsen wildfire conditions.

Climate Impact Looms Large

Perhaps the most significant long-term consequence is to the climate. Old-growth trees in national forests sequester large amounts of carbon. Logging them removes a key buffer against climate change. A peer-reviewed study in 2022 found that preserving large, older trees could offset nearly 10% of U.S. emissions from fossil fuels, the Seattle Times reports.

The push to harvest those trees has already triggered legal challenges, and with no clear timeline or boundaries, public land advocates remain watchful. What happens next depends on forest supervisors, regional offices, and public backlash—if voices are still allowed in the conversation.