Bush Orders Roadless Logging in Oregon
anna, 01.08.2006 13:30
First in the Nation Since 2000
August 7th is now cast as a dark day for America's forests and the people who love them. For the first time since 2000, loggers will begin felling ancient forests in a formerly protected roadless area.
We must stand up to oppose it!
A massive protest to decry this precedent-setting destruction will take place at the Siskiyou-Rogue River National Forest Service office, 333 W. 8th St. in Medford at noon on August 7th.
After years of tireless work by millions of Americans on behalf of
wildlands, in January 2001, the Clinton Administration put in place a
regulation protecting 58.5 million acres of roadless National Forests.
These areas are the cream of the crop of pristine, otherwise
unprotected wild places: some of the biggest trees, the wildest
rivers, and last refuges for endangered wildlife.
Ever since, the Bush Administration has been working to undo these
protections in order to log, mine, and drill these precious areas.
Bush gets his way on August 7th, when logging begins in Mike's Gulch,
located in the extraordinary South Kalmiopsis Roadless Area of the
Siskiyou-Rogue River National Forest.
Our message is "Roadless is Priceless." T-shirts bearing this message
will be available. In addition, please bring the following props:
Oregon State flags, potted baby trees, colorful signs and costumes.
After the rally, all who choose to are invited to participate in a
peaceful act of civil disobedience. We plan to express our discontent
with Bush forest policy by staging a peaceful sit-in or simple
line-crossing. Details will not likely be worked out until the
morning of the 7th but all are welcome to participate on that day.
This event is designed for the whole family. Please bring everyone
you love. Car pools are planned from Eugene, Portland and the
Illinois Valley.
Roadless areas around the country are now under threat of destruction.
Mike's Gulch happens to be the very first to fall under the axe. We
need to send a strong message to fellow U.S. citizens and elected
officials around the country to make sure that this policy ends
immediately.
More background
The Governor
The Bush Administration claims that governors are allowed to petition
for protection of roadless areas in their states. The petitions are
not due until this Fall. The Administration promised interim
protection for all roadless areas pending review of those petitions.
The Administration has broken this promise at Mike's Gulch.
Oregon Governor Ted Kulongowski has called repeatedly for full
protection of all 1.9 million acres of roadless Oregon forest.
Ignored by the Bush Administration he is now suing the Administration
in federal court. This and several other suits that might again
protect Mike's Gulch are still pending. Nonetheless, logging is
moving forward.
The Governor is holding an open hearing on roadless forest protection
in Medford on August 16th. Please plan to attend this event as well.
Mike's Gulch
The area was burned in the 2002 Biscuit Fire. Like many areas at
Biscuit it is in full natural recovery. A study this year showed that
natural restocking levels for conifers meets Forest Service
guidelines. Another study recently showed that logging retards
natural recovery and increases the threat of future fires after
logging operations.
The area to be logged is on steep slopes and sits above the Wild and
Scenic Illinois River. That river is world-class salmon habitat. The
sale area is filled with wildflowers, birds, and other wildlife.
The South Kalmiopsis Roadless Area is Oregon's largest. Logging may
disqualify this area and surrounding areas from future protection as
Wilderness.
Other Roadless Destruction Coming
The Bush Administration has just announced that it will sell a second
roadless area off to loggers. The Blackberry sale, in the North
Kalmiopsis Roadless area is set to be auctioned on August 4th, once
again at the Siskiyou-Rogue River National Forest Office in Medford.
Meanwhile roadless logging is planned this winter in New Hampshire,
Minnesota, Wyoming and elsewhere. The Administration is also moving
aggressively to grant permits for oil and gas exploration in roadless
areas in Colorado.
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