Land Mature -

Mature forests are a developmental stage that precedes old-growth. While definitions vary by forest type, general indicators include:

Mature lands are vital for because older trees store vast amounts of carbon. land mature

: Abundance of large, older trees that have moved past the initial "self-thinning" young stage. Mature forests are a developmental stage that precedes

: Significant accumulation of aboveground biomass and standing dead wood (snags). Strategic Importance & Threats In 2023, the U

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

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

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