World-Wire

Latest News Services Circuits Contact Us Archives Subscribe Search

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BUSH ADMINISTRATION CELEBRATES EARTH DAY BY LOGGING ANCIENT FORESTS
Controversial logging of old-growth forests is now underway in the Pacific Northwest

WESTERN OREGON, April 232, 2004 --/WORLD-WIRE/-- Today, on Earth Day -- six-foot diameter trees -- some more than five centuries old, are crashing to the ground under direction from the Bush Administration. This week, Rosboro Timber, under contract with the US Forest Service, is logging ancient groves on the Willamette National Forest as part of the Blue River Face Timber Sale.

"The Forest Service failed to conduct adequate rare plant and wildlife surveys for this timber sale, but has done an end run around the rules," said Jasmine Minbashian, director of the Northwest Old Growth Campaign. "Only a few weeks ago, the Bush Administration made it easier to log ancient forests by eliminating requirements for pre-logging wildlife surveys in mature and old-growth forests."

More than 150 ancient forest timber sales could now move ahead because of new Bush policies. Several of these sales are currently being logged or are under imminent danger of being logged. Conservationists are urging President Bush to announce on Earth Day an end to old growth logging and support for protecting the nation's remaining wild forest heritage.

"This administration has a tremendous credibility gap on the environment, particularly when it comes to the stewardship of our forests," said Randi Spivak, Executive Director of the American Lands Alliance. "We think Earth Day is a good opportunity for the Bush administration to turn over a new leaf, and started protecting our nation's forests, rather than putting them on the chopping block."

Conservationists point to numerous new administration policies and changes in environmental rules that open the door for more logging including:

Easing rules protecting wildlife and clean water to allow for more old growth logging in the Pacific Northwest
Removing protection for Alaska's Tongass National Forest that will allow new logging and roadbuilding projects in old growth forests
Cutting funds for community fire protection programs while increasing subsidies for logging
Announcing plans to write new forest planning rules that weaken wildlife protections and undermine public participation, and
Announcing plans to rewrite the hugely popular Roadless Area Conservation Rule that protects undeveloped forestlands.

For a complete review of administration policies that threaten forests, please see The Wilderness Society report "Bush Administration Record on America's National Forests" at http://www.wilderness.org/OurIssues/Forests/index.cfm?TopLevel=Home and for additional analysis please see "Forest Policies Widen Bush Administration's Environmental Credibility Gap" at http://www.roadless.org/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=19

"The public should know that our National Forests are now at risk from stealthy attacks that weaken environmental standards and public involvement," said Gene Karpinski, executive director of U.S. Public Interest Research Group. "The sole beneficiary of the administration's forest policies -- the timber industry -- has started to plunder and exploit the National Forests."

For additional information please see http://www.wilderness.org, http://www.defenders.org, http://www.sierraclub.org, http://www.americanlands.org, http://www.akrain.org,

CONTACT: Annie Strickler, Sierra Club, 202/675-2384, annie.strickler@sierraclub.org or Steve Holmer, Unified Forest Defense Campaign, 202/429-2647, steve_holmer@tws.org

B-roll footage available of old growth forests at risk from administration logging plans

World-Wire is a resource provided by Environment News Service
To Unsubscribe or Change Account Settings: Click here