🚀 go-pugleaf

[Transcribed from a Sierra Club Action Alert]

President Clinton has presented his plan for the ancient forests
of the Pacific Northwest and Northern California.  To the
president's credit, his plan will end many of the bankrupt
forest practices of the Reagan and Bush administrations.

Unfortunately, the plan will not accomplish what we have all
been working for -- it does not provide lasting, inviolate
protection for what little remains of our nation's ancient
forests.

  o Millions of acres of ancient forest are slated to be logged
    under the Clinton plan -- as much as one-fifth of the
    ancient forest that still stands.  Even the plan's ancient
    forest ``reserves'' would allow experimental salvage and
    thinning logging.

  o Where most logging will occur -- in the ``timber matrix''
    outside of reserves -- there is not enough protection for
    fragile forest streams that shelter habitat for salmon and
    ensure water quality.  Streamside buffer zones are only half
    as wide as recommended by the government's own Scientific
    Advisory Team.

  o The plan gives too much leeway to the very agencies that
    brought the ancient forest ecosystems to the brink of
    destruction.  And it allows for local logging interests
    to dominate ecological concerns in specially designated
    ``adaptive management areas.''

NOW IS OUR CHANCE to comment on this plan.  It is more important
than ever that the president and his ancient forest team hear
from thousands of us who believe the plan must be improved.  We
want permanent protection for remaining ancient forests.  We
oppose any congressional action that would weaken the plan or
override environmental laws.

During the past years of intensive effort to save our nation's
ancient forests, letters, postcards and coments from concerned
individuals like you all over the country have brought this
critical issue to the attention of the public and lawmakers
nationwide.  All together, our voice is powerful.

As an ``owner'' of the national forests, it is again urgent that
you make your voice heard.  Please print out and mail the two
sample letters attached below to President Clinton and to his
ancient forest Interagency SEIS Team.  Better yet, incorporate
the key points into a personal letter that you write and mail to
the president and his team, no later than October 28th.

I'm proud of the way that Sierra Club members have helped build
the public outcry to protect the majestic forests of the Pacific
Northwest and Northern California.  These great forest
ecosystmes are truly a national legacy.

President Clinton and his forest team have the opportunity to
change their plan so it will protect the last 10 percent of our
nation's ancient forests for all time.  We have only a short
time to convince them that they have a mandate from the American
people to do so.

Sincerely,
(signed)
Carl Pope
Executive Director

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(Mail to:  President Bill Clinton / The White House / 1600
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW / Washington, DC  20500)

To:  President Clinton

Your plan to protect ancient forests of the Pacific Northwest
and Northern California will help end the failed policies that
have brought us to this crisis point.  But it must be improved
to ensure the survival of these great ecosystems.  Specifically,
your plan must:

  o Provide permanent, inviolate protection for our remaining
    ancient forest.  Even dead and decaying trees are essential
    elements of ancient forest ecosystems and should be left
    alone.  Natural forest stands and ``roadless'' forest still
    undisturbed by logging roads must not fall to the chainsaw
    for any reason.

  o Include all remaining ancient forest in Ancient Forest
    Reserves -- because all that remains is still less than 10
    percent of what once existed.  We do not need to destroy any
    more ancient forest when we have vast timberland outside of
    national forests and millions of acres of replanted trees.

  o Stand firm for our nation's environmental laws -- and the
    right of every citizen to ask the courts to enforce them.
    Environmental laws are our pledge to future generations --
    they must not be undermined.

(Sign it, and provide your name and address.)

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(Mail to:  The Interagency SEIS Team / P.O. Box 3623 / Portland,
OR  97208-3623)

To:  President Clinton's Ancient Forest Team

Your plan must permanently protect what little is left of our
nation's majestic ancient forests in the Pacific Northwest and
Northen California.  Specifically, it must:

  o Make Ancient Forest Reserves completely off-limits to
    logging, and include all remaining ancient forest in
    reserves.  We must not destroy any more ancient forest
    when all that remains is less than 10 percent of what
    once existed.

  o Protect all forest streams.  Logging must not be allowed
    near forest streams because it heavily degrades water
    quality, increases the risk of flooding and threatens
    wild salmon with extinction.  Streamside buffer zones,
    both in and out of reserves, must be given the full
    protection called for by your Scientific Advisory Team.

  o Protect all ``roadless'' forest.  Forest areas still
    undisturbed by logging roads must not fall to the
    chainsaw for any reason.

  o Protect all ancient forest species.  Forest protection
    must ensure a ``high probability'' of survival for all
    ecologically diverse ancient forest species.

  o Minimize timber industry influence.  Our national forests
    must be managed for the best interest of all Americans,
    not just for local timber communities.  Industry must not
    be given special influence or financial incentives to
    determine timber cutting in national forests.

(Sign it, and provide your name and address.)

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=o= As a final note here, I don't like that penultimate sentence
as written by the Sierra Club.  I would recommend changing the
wording to this: ``Our national forests must be managed for
the long-term best interest of all Americans, not just for the
short-term interests of local timber companies.''
    <_Jym_>