Climate

The intensity and frequency of floods is increasing worldwide due to climate change.

In Peru, climate change is worsening flood risk including due to glacial retreat and in 2023, devastating floods left over 800,000 people in need of assistance.

The intensity and frequency of floods is increasing worldwide due to climate change.

One reason China has forged ahead of the rest of the world regarding rare earths is that it has been more willing to handle the radioactive pollution that can be caused by the mining and processing.

Be prepared to “pack out” whatever you “pack in.”

It’s a powerful demonstration of shared stewardship where federal land managers and local communities work side-by-side for the long-term health of both the land and the people who depend on it.

As recovery continues, the Sabine National Forest stands as a testament to what’s possible when disaster meets determination, and neighbors meet a shared mission.

When storms hit, our forests and our communities feel it together and this salvage operation is a great example of how local partnerships can lead to meaningful recovery.

When storms hit, our forests and our communities feel it together and this salvage operation is a great example of how local partnerships can lead to meaningful recovery.

Part of a post-storm salvage sale, these efforts help reduce hazardous fuel loads and support local rural economies.

To ensure transparency and local participation, a public meeting was held with interested members of the public and timber purchasers just three weeks after the storm.

The rapid response to this natural disaster highlights the strength of collaboration between the Forest Service and East Texas’s rural timber industry.

Our specialists quickly identified the most affected stands, mapped out salvage opportunities and designed stewardship contracts to not only remove storm-damaged trees but also reduce the risk of future wildfire through fuel load reduction.

By using aircraft already under contract for the prescribed burn season, Forest Service staff reduced the need for extensive boots-on-the-ground resources.

These contracts will help recover economic value from the downed trees before they deteriorate, protecting the forest from pests, disease and dangerous fuel buildup.

Sabine fire and timber program managers surveyed the damaged forest area by helicopter.

After the storms had passed, Forest Service staff identified downed or damaged trees that needed to be removed to reduce the amount of fuels for potential wildfires, allow access to be restored and prevent the spread of insects that can cause disease and reduce forest health.

For both reducing the wildfire risk and enabling the timber industry to make use of the timber, speed would be of the essence.

In addition, trees falling across roads or trails makes accessing areas to fight a potential wildfire more difficult, hampering firefighters’ ability to contain the fire.

The timber debris can make wildfires worse by giving the fire more fuel, allowing it to burn hotter and longer, damaging or destroying other trees that might otherwise have survived the fire.