1. United States
2. Fla.
3. Letter

The president's executive order to expand logging across 280 million acres of national forests and public lands is deeply concerning. Circumventing the Endangered Species Act's protections for vulnerable species like grizzly bears, spotted owls and wild salmon puts these iconic wildlife at grave risk. Increased logging will degrade habitats, pollute waterways that millions rely on, and diminish world-class recreation sites. Rather than heeding industry interests, we should safeguard our remaining old-growth forests which play a vital role in absorbing carbon dioxide and mitigating climate change impacts. Clearcutting these ecologically invaluable areas will exacerbate fire risks, threaten biodiversity and squander a precious natural heritage. Sustainable forest management that prioritizes conservation over unchecked exploitation is urgently needed. I urge you to reconsider this destructive order and its overreach on environmental laws. Our national forests deserve robust protections to preserve their majesty for current and future generations. Responsible stewardship that centers ecological integrity and public interests over private profits is the wisest path forward.