Trump Administration Fast‑Tracks Large-Scale Logging in Southern California Forests

The Trump administration has cleared the way for commercial logging on nearly 113 million acres of National Forest System (NFS) land—roughly 59 percent of all U.S. national forests—under a new emergency order that targets large swaths of Southern California’s public lands.

In an April 3 memorandum titled “Increasing Timber Production and Designating an Emergency Situation on National Forest System Lands,” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins declared an “emergency situation determination,” citing wildfire danger, insect outbreaks and what she called “heavy‑handed federal policies” that restrict timber harvests.

The order instructs the U.S. Forest Service to boost timber output by 25 percent, streamline or waive National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews, and coordinate directly with states and timber companies to “deliver a reliable and consistent supply of timber.”

A follow‑up memo from Forest Service Acting Associate Chief Christopher B. French directs regional forest supervisors to act immediately, emphasizing simplified permits and faster contracting.

Rollins’ declaration combines 66.9 million acres labeled “very high or high wildfire risk” with 78.8 million acres suffering “declining forest health,” allowing for overlap. The result is 112.6 million acres now eligible for expedited logging and other “emergency actions.”

A USDA map released with Friday’s order highlights the Angeles, San Bernardino, Los Padres and Cleveland national forests as priority zones. Environmental analysts say Los Padres alone could see up to 235,000 acres opened to logging, while pine stands in the San Bernardino range and remaining timber pockets in the Angeles could also be targeted.

These four forests frame heavily populated counties from Ventura to San Diego and serve as critical recreation hubs for outdoors enthusiasts—hosting campgrounds, hiking and mountain‑bike trails, wildlife corridors and headwaters that feed urban water supplies.

Timber‑industry groups welcomed the move. Travis Joseph, president of the American Forest Resource Council, called the directives “common‑sense” steps to reverse decades of mismanagement that have cost jobs and increased wildfire danger.

Wildland‑fire scientists and conservationists counter that large‑scale logging is neither feasible nor effective at reducing extreme fires. University of Colorado Boulder fire ecologist Jennifer Balch noted that only 2 percent of Forest Service fuel‑reduction projects between 2004 and 2013 encountered wildfire, arguing that climate‑driven drought and shrinking snowpack are the bigger drivers of today’s megafires.

Randi Spivak, public‑lands policy director at the Center for Biological Diversity, said the emergency order is “all about getting the board feet cut” and warned that post‑fire salvage logging—often involving bulldozed roads—can do more damage than the flames themselves by compacting soils and destroying wildlife habitat. Her group plans to sue over individual projects in Southern California.

Under the 1976 National Forest Management Act, the Forest Service must balance timber production with watershed protection and wildlife conservation. Prioritizing logging above those mandates “violates congressional law,” Spivak argues. Potential lawsuits are expected to focus on endangered species such as the California condor, arroyo toad and coastal gnatcatcher that inhabit local forests.

The new directive starkly contrasts with measures floated under President Joe Biden, who proposed safeguarding old‑growth stands for their carbon‑storage capacity and resilience to fire. Rollins’ memo does not mention climate change.

What it means for outdoor recreation

• Trail closures & road building: Logging operations typically require temporary road networks and safety closures that could block access to popular trails such as the Pacific Crest Trail segments through the Angeles and San Bernardino forests.
• Landscape change: Clear‑cuts and mechanical thinning can alter scenic vistas, reduce canopy cover and affect wildlife sightings—key draws for hikers, birders and mountain bikers.
• Post‑fire hazards: Critics warn that removing burned trees can destabilize steep slopes, increasing debris‑flow risks for downstream communities already hit hard by recent fires.

The Forest Service must now identify specific stands for cutting and issue streamlined contracts—actions that could move within weeks under the emergency framework. Environmental groups are preparing injunction requests, while state officials weigh their limited leverage over federal land. Public‑comment windows will likely be abbreviated, so residents concerned about recreation access or habitat loss should monitor Forest Service announcements for each forest unit.