Working Forests: A long-term blueprint for climate, biodiversity, and wood

The article argues that 'working forests' are managed for the long term, replanting more than they harvest (over 1 billion seedlings annually) and coordinating foresters, ecologists, and engineers to provide renewable wood while protecting soil, water, and wildlife. It notes carbon dynamics: younger, actively managed forests sequester CO2 more quickly, and carbon stays stored in wood products after harvest; harvest cycles span 25–60 years. It describes a 'shifting mosaic' of preserved and actively managed areas to boost biodiversity and resilience, including wildfire risk reduction through thinning and prescribed practices. The message is that sustainable forest management is a spectrum that can be both economically viable and ecologically sound.