Telephone Gap
Editorial by Warren King
VIEWPOINT
The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) owns and manages the 400,000-acre Green Mountain National Forest. In its northern half, east of Rutland, stands a 10,000-acre forest called Telephone Gap which has not been intensively managed for 80 years. The USFS is about to start doing so now in the Telephone Gap Integrated Resource Project.
Because of the land’s history, eighty-five percent of the trees are 80 years old or older and fifty-five percent are 100 years or older.
Telephone Gap, Vermont
This mature forest is home to populations of pine marten and
long-eared bats, both of which are endan- gered in Vermont. More importantly, as a mature forest Telephone Gap is a significant carbon sink, a major consideration in manag- ing forests in a period of climate crisis.
In 2006, when the Green Mountain Forest Plan was last revised, it placed emphasis on cutting old forest to make room for young trees and the wildlife that benefit from new growth.
Although the plan remains unchanged,
the world has changed. Climate change and
increasing levels of carbon dioxide have
changed our priorities. On Earth Day, 22
April 2022, President Biden signed an execu-
tive order addressing efforts to avoid the
impending climate crisis, referring specifically
to the crucial role the national forests play in
sequestering carbon. Leaving mature trees
uncut means they will continue to capture
new carbon while retaining the carbon they have already sequestered. Cutting mature trees to be replaced by new plantings no longer makes sense if the total carbon in the atmosphere exceeds the amount that humans and all other organisms can tolerate. We have eight years to get our house in order.
Standing Trees VT is leading the campaign to oppose the logging of Telephone Gap so this mature forest can keep fulfilling its crucial role. Join their effort at https://www.standingtrees.org
“The US is begging for forest protection in other nations while leveling mature and old-growth trees on our own national forests…recklessly selling off our children and grandchildren’s future.” #ClimateForests #WorthMoreStanding #SavePublicForests
Boho Bahia 