Eco Report – January 12, 2024

And now for your environmental reports:

Inside Climate Change reports that in an unprecedented step to preserve and maintain the most carbon-rich elements of U.S. forests in an era of climate change, President Joe Biden’s administration last week proposed to end commercially driven logging of old-growth trees in National Forests. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, who oversees the U.S. Forest Service, issued a Notice of Intent to amend the land management plans of all 128 National Forests to prioritize old-growth conservation and recognize the oldest trees’ unique role in carbon storage. It would be the first nationwide amendment to forest plans in the 118-year history of the Forest Service, where local rangers typically have the final word on how to balance forests’ role in watershed, wildlife and recreation with the agency’s mandate to maintain a “sustained yield” of timber.

National and local environmental advocates have been urging the Biden administration to adopt a new policy emphasizing preservation in National Forests, treating them as a strategic reserve of carbon. Although they praised the old-growth proposal as an “historic” step, they want to see protection extended to “mature” forests, those dominated by trees roughly 80 to 150 years old, which are a far larger portion of the National Forests. As old-growth trees are lost, which can happen rapidly due to megafires and other assaults, they argue that the Forest Service should be ensuring there are fully developed trees on the landscape to take their place.

The National Climate Assessment released by the administration this fall included data underscoring the urgency of the issue: The amount of carbon sequestered by U.S. forest land decreased by 22 percent from 1990 to 2019  due to a combination of drought, wildfire and disturbances by insects and disease. In webcast presentations this fall on its work to update agency policy, the Forest Service showed that the amount of mature and old-growth forest in National Forests exposed to temperatures in excess of 90 degrees for more than two months a year has doubled compared to the last three decades of the last century. If global carbon emissions continue on a high trajectory, exposure to such extreme temperatures is on track to double again by mid-century and double again by  the end of the 21st century. This will raise the destructiveness of fires.

Of Indiana’s original 20 million acres of forest, fewer than 2,000 acres of old-growth forests remain intact. Most of the sites that remain are now protected as nature preserves, and many have been selected as National Natural Landmarks. The government has shown little interest in preserving even this small amount of old growth forests.

—Norm Holy

Vineyard Wind is the nation’s second utility-scale offshore wind farm to start generating electricity. Another large project off the coast of New York, South Fork Wind, began producing power in December. Once completed, South Fork will be capable of producing 132 megawatts of electricity.  The two projects are coming online at a turbulent time for the nascent offshore wind industry. To fight climate change, many Eastern states are hoping to install dozens of large wind farms in the Atlantic Ocean that can generate electricity without emitting any planet-warming greenhouse gases. But lately, developers of those projects have struggled with soaring costs, high interest rates, supply chain delays and bursts of local opposition.

The Biden administration has made offshore wind a priority, essentially aiming to create an industry from scratch. But the United States remains far behind Europe, which has already installed more than 32,000 megawatts of capacity in its waters.

—Norm Holy

Germany’s renewables mix included 31.1 percent from wind, 12.1 percent from solar and biomass and 3.4 percent from a mixture of hydropower and other renewable sources.  Wind farms – especially those on land – made the largest contribution, the press release said.  The energy sector regulator said the renewables increase in 2023 was bolstered by weather and an expansion of capacity, reported Reuters.

The total amount of power supplied by Germany’s public networks decreased by 5.3 percent last year, indicating less demand for fossil fuels in favor of renewables. The country’s economy continued to feel the effects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the decline of energy imports and resulting price increases that followed in 2022.  The energy sector regulator said the renewables increase in 2023 was bolstered by weather and an expansion of capacity, reported Reuters.

—Norm Holy

Here at EcoReport we are currently looking for reporters, engineers, and segment producers. Our goal is to report facts on how we’re all affected by global climate disruption and the ongoing assaults on our air, land and water.  We also celebrate ecologists, tree huggers, soil builders and an assortment of champions who actively protect and restore our natural world, particularly those who are active in south central Indiana.  

All levels of experience and all ages are welcome, and we provide the training you’ll need.  WFHB also offers internships. To volunteer for Eco-Report, give us a call at (812) 323-1200, or e-mail us at: [email protected].  

And now for some upcoming events:

Learn about the Winds of Change at McCormick’s Creek State Park on Saturday, January 13th, at 3 pm.  You will get an overview of the park’s ongoing recovery efforts and a look at the role of ecological succession in the future of our forest ecosystems.  Meet at the Nature Center.