The Trump Administration is ramping up its efforts to clearcut in the Allegheny National Forest. The West Sheffield Timber Sale targets the Farnsworth Branch area of the Allegheny – Pennsylvania’s only National Forest.

The West Sheffield timber sale proposes 1,972 acres of clearcutting itself – but when combined with other timber sales a total of at least 4,503 acres would be clearcut impacting over 20% of national forest lands in the project area. Additionally 110 acres will be logged with the “thinning” method to promote commercial tree species such as black cherry. Black cherry only made up 0.8% of the native Allegheny National Forest but thanks to this kind of manipulation black cherry makes up more than 25% of the Allegheny’s overstory and 50% or more of its understory. Manipulation for black cherry will include up to 2,082 acres of herbicide, manual cutting, and fencing as part of this project.  

Additionally the project proposes 1,230 of burning to promote commercially valuable oak – despite fire playing a non-significant role in the native history of the Allegheny. All of this comes at the expense of native species such as Eastern Hemlock, American Beech, Sugar Maple, and Birch which used to make up 70% of the native Allegheny forest. Some of this burning would occur in an area designated for “Remote Recreation” in order to “maintain fire-dependent ecosystems” that do no exist within the Allegheny National Forest – where wind throw, not fire, is the primary natural disturbance regime.

The National Forest Management Act (NFMA) normally limits the size of clearcuts to 40 acres. The Trump administration has approved 30 clearcuts greater than 40 acres in size and impacting 3,750 acres over the last year. The administration has proposed another 37 clearcuts greater than 40 acres which would impact another 7,399.5 acres. This includes the West Sheffield Project which alone would approve 11 clearcuts greater than 40 acres in size impacting 4,503 acres of forest – with the largest clearcut being 1,471 acres all on its own!

The 1,471 acre clearcut is unprecedented in modern management of the Allegheny which was devastated by large scale clearcutting in the early 20th century – leading to widespread flooding and habitat destruction. There is no scientific research to back up clearcutting in the Allegheny National Forest for the benefits of plants or wildlife – let alone at this scale.

Public Comments are being accepted until April 3, 2026. They must also consider comments submitted after this date but comments before April 3 are most effective.

Richard Hatfield
Bradford Ranger District 
29 Forest Service Dr , Bradford, PA, 16701 
richard.hatfield@usda.gov