NEWS

What is the oldest tree in Great Britain?

Answer: Fortingall Yew

Resource: Ancient yew trees: the UK's oldest yews

Photo © Paul Hermans

The newly discovered, full-growth American chestnut tree stands 65 feet high and measures 18 inches in diameter. Discovered by a deer hunter in Delaware, this is a "holy grail" find. Naturalists will collect the chestnuts in an attempt to increase the species' population.

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The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee recently reviewed forest bills that are intended to expedite effective forest management practices. The committee chair stated that "past mismanagement ... has ushered in an era of fuels and wildfires" and that "reduced harvesting has led to historic buildups of vegetation [and] fuel loads." Click below to see a complete list of the bills under review by the committee.

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Experts are forecasting a 37% increase in the consumption of primary processed wood products—including sawn wood, veneer, plywood, fiberboard and particleboard, and wood pulp—by 2050.

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Twelve members of Congress have urged the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to drop additional restrictions made to conservation plans, stating that "bat species being targeted by these restrictions are not harmed by sustainable forest management" and that healthy forest management helps mitigate the harm caused by disease. The lawmakers asked USFWS to avoid taking action that hurts local economies, an "unintended consequence" of the restrictions.

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