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ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A federal agency has rejected an iconic Alaska tree for listing as a threatened species due to climate warming.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Friday that yellow cedars do not warrant additional protections because trees affected by warming grow in areas representing less than 6 percent of the overall area where they can be found.
A spokeswoman for the Center for Biological Diversity calls the yellow cedar decision reckless.
Shaye Wolf says yellow cedars face harm from climate change and logging.
Yellow cedar trees can live more than 1,000 years.
Alaska Native people have used wood and bark for canoe paddles, totem poles, baskets and backing in blankets.
Yellow cedar's shallow roots rely on snow for protection and warming has made them vulnerable to freezing.
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