Regulators, landowners form habitat protection partnership

By JOHN FLESHER
AP Environmental Writer

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — The Biden administration and groups representing the forest products industry have reached a deal to promote logging practices intended to protect imperiled species on private lands. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agreed to cooperate on projects that could boost struggling populations of pollinating insects, birds and other animals. Officials say they hope it will prevent many species from declining to the point where they need federal listing as endangered or threatened, which often leads to lawsuits.