The "Old Growth Forest Protection Act" is a proposed bill aimed at safeguarding Rhode Island's old growth forests, which are essential ecosystems threatened by logging and habitat destruction. The bill defines key terms such as "old growth forest," "extractive logging," and "natural area preserve," and establishes strict prohibitions against extractive logging in old growth forests on state-owned and municipal lands, as well as clearcutting in any forest on state-owned land. Exceptions are allowed for the felling of hazardous trees and invasive trees, but these actions require approval from the newly established Natural Heritage Program.

The Natural Heritage Program, created within the Division of Statewide Planning, will conduct inventories to assess the ecological significance of forests before any logging activities can begin. The program will be led by a coordinator with relevant qualifications and experience, who must not have prior ties to the timber industry. Responsibilities of the program include monitoring biodiversity, maintaining a natural heritage database, creating a biodiversity protection plan, and developing educational materials about native biodiversity in Rhode Island's old growth forests and natural areas.

The bill emphasizes public engagement through required hearings and notifications regarding logging operations, and it establishes penalties for violations of the prohibitions outlined in the act. Additionally, the bill amends the Natural Areas Protection Act of 1993 to redefine the coordinator's role in managing natural area preserves, ensuring public involvement in the designation process, and reinforcing the prohibition of extractive logging and clearcutting in old growth forests. The act will take effect upon passage.