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A sweeping and successful framework that has protected some of Earth's most carbon-rich, biologically diverse forests is under heavy attack.
The highly effective Northwest Forest Plan, established in 1994, safeguards some 24 million acres of federal forestland in California, Oregon and Washington.
But the U.S. Forest Service, whose historical default has been to "get out the cut" to placate the timber industry and its anti-environmental backers in Congress, recently announced a slate of amendments to the plan. In short, they are a disaster.
The Northwest Forest Plan tamped down controversy, providing for continued timber production while giving degraded forests a chance to bounce back.
The Forest Service's proposed amendments would devastate these gains, allowing timber extraction volumes at double and even triple the current rates, including hammering precious mature and old-growth forests.
Sadly, while inclusion of Native American tribes in forest management is much needed, and was omitted from the original plan, the Forest Service now appears to be using tribal inclusion as a wedge issue to divide conservationists from their tribal allies.
The agency has woven tribal collaboration provisions into its recommended plan alternatives in a way that would appear aimed at forcing conservation advocates to support or oppose these alternatives in all-or-nothing fashion.
Tribal inclusion should be addressed in any plan revisions, but separately from the destructive resource extraction schemes the Forest Service wants.
See RESOURCES section at bottom for more on the Northwest Forest Plan and amendment process.
Speak out today to protect and strengthen the Northwest Forest Plan!
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Paul Hughes
Executive Director
Forests Forever
 Forests Forever's new Swag Store offers a sizable array of fun items with which you can amplify our message, start a conversation— or just stay warm or hydrated. All carry our distinctive old-growth-forest-and-crescent-moon logo and many have our "Restore, Reinhabit, Re-enchant" motto. Except for our stock of books and bumper stickers all items are strictly printed to order, which means we don't produce and store unsold stock, with its attendant cost and potential waste. So browse our store and wear our logo with pride! All net proceeds benefit Forests Forever and its work to protect and restore Callifornia's forests. |
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RESOURCES →
- We recommend this NPR article for its photos of old-growth forests and their wildlife.
- Forests Forever ally Oregon Wild and other groups have issued a four-page initial analysis of the proposed plan amendments' impacts. Read it here.
- Here is the complete NW Forest Plan Draft Environmental Impact Statement document describing the Forest Service's intentions.