Land Mature May 2026

: Abundance of large, older trees that have moved past the initial "self-thinning" young stage.

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

: The Forest Service manages the majority, with 67.4 million acres of mature forest and 24.4 million acres of old-growth. Defining "Mature" Land : Abundance of large, older trees that have

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

: Account for roughly 80 million acres (45% 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