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Bush Proposes to Clearcut Oregon's Heritage - BLM Releases Draft Plan, and its a Whopper!
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Shocking new plans were just announced to ramp up logging on 2.6 million acres of public land in western Oregon by clearcutting old-growth forests and reducing protections for salmon-bearing creeks and streams.
The BLM proposes to increase old-growth logging
by 700% over the next decade. Upper East Kesley timber sale pictured here, Medford BLM.
According to The Oregonian, the BLM's draft plan would boost logging of trees 200 years and older sevenfold over the next decade. Yes, you read that correctly, a 700 percent increase in logging Oregon's last old-growth forests! This huge increase in logging would come from opening up currently protected streamside forests and old-growth reserves to clearcutting.
How you can help
It is time for Congress to step in and legislate a solution to this ongoing problem that continues to leave our precious old-growth forests, clean water and salmon-bearing streams in jeopardy. Since the Bush Administration will likely ignore public comments that it receives on the WOPR, please take a minute to call Senator Ron Wyden at (503) 326-7525 and request that Congress find a solution to this madness. Ask that Congress pass legislation to protect our remaining mature and old-growth forests on public land, and instead focus management in previously logged areas that are in need of thinning. If you live outside of Oregon, click here to find your Senators' phone numbers and urge them to settle this problem once and for all.
Visit www.oregonheritageforests.org to learn more, read talking points and send an automatic email to the BLM and your elected officials.
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MORE ON THE WOPR...
In the early planning stages for WOPR, over 90% of the nearly 3,000 comments submitted to the Bush Administration asked for the protection of mature and old-growth forests. Most Oregonians want the BLM to embrace thinning second growth forests, safe-guard communities from wildfire and protect what remains of our nation’s ancient forests.
Unfortunately, the Bush Administration’s preferred alternative outlined in the WOPR would manage over one million acres of our federal forests in Oregon as Timber Management Areas–managed solely for rotation forestry–whereby thousands of acres of ancient forests would be converted into industrial tree farms every year. Under the WOPR, wildlife, salmon, recreation and clean water would play second fiddle to timber profits.
Losing ancient forests
The WOPR covers six districts of the BLM: Medford, Roseburg, Eugene, Salem, Coos Bay and the Klamath Falls area of the Lakeview District, which is approximately 2.6 million acres of public land in western Oregon (that is a forested area larger than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware combined!). Forests in the Rogue, Umpqua and Willamette River basins are primarily affected, as well as many of Oregon’s coastal watersheds.
The WOPR has three primary alternatives, and the outlook for Oregon’s federal forests under the agency’s preferred Alternative 2 is grim. The BLM would clearcut 139,700 acres (over 200 square miles) of mature and old growth forest while building 1,000 miles of logging roads per decade, converting pristine ancient forests into monoculture tree farms. Clearcutting would become the preferred logging method, and 24% of all logging would target trees 200 years and older.
The WOPR effectively pulls the BLM forests out from the scientific framework of the Northwest Forest Plan. The Northwest Forest Plan was enacted in 1994 and is considered one of the most advanced plans to conserve forested ecosystems – while allowing continued logging of some older forest. Every alternative in the WOPR, however, would greatly increase the logging of mature and old-growth forests to levels before the Northwest Forest Plan.
There is a better way
Oregonians don’t have to choose between a healthy timber industry and their old-growth forest heritage. At a time when public consensus over old-growth protection and plantation thinning has never been stronger, the Bush Administration is handing over our ancient forests to the timber industry.
Many Oregon forest managers are already moving beyond the conflicts of the past. By focusing on previously logged public forestlands - many of which are now overgrown and in need of thinning - they are providing wood to local mills while actually improving conditions for fish and wildlife and keeping saws out of old-growth forests.
Collaborative groups including the Siuslaw National Forest bring together loggers, local governments, conservation groups and others to design projects with broad community support. The Siuslaw is consistently among the largest timber producers of any National Forest in Oregon.
Please call Senator Ron Wyden today at (503)326-7525 and ask that Congress pass legislation to protect our remaining mature and old-growth forests on public land, and instead focus management in previously logged areas that are in need of thinning.
Click here for more information and a “Citizen’s Guide” to commenting on WOPR before the January 11, 2008 deadline.
Visit www.oregonheritageforests.org to learn more, read talking points and send an automatic email to the BLM and your elected officials.