Is logging bad for the climate?

Vermont’s logging industry has changed a lot over the last several decades. But one thing remains true: We just can’t agree about how to manage our forests in the face of climate change.

This raises a lot of questions about how Vermont should manage its forests — and it has led to heated debates around the state.

For photos from the episode, check out the web version of this story.

This episode was reported by Abagael Giles. Editing and production from the BLS team: That’s Sabine Poux, Burgess Brown and Josh Crane. Our intern is Catherine Morrissey. Digital support from Zoe McDonald. Angela Evancie is our Executive Producer. Theme music by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.

Special thanks to Katharine Servidio.

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Correction 5/9/25: A previous version of this story included an incorrect estimate for acres of forest that could be logged under the Telephone Gap Project. It has since been updated.

Correction 5/15/25: A previous version of this story included an incorrect estimate of the amount of forest Vermont loses per year. Over the last few decades, Vermont has been losing about 5,000 acres of forest each year, not 10,000.