Hot Issue:
I am only one voice. The Redwoods are being cut in Northern California, as well as forests all over the planet. As intelligent people we do not want this to happen. Forests are a legacy to our heritage and to the world. We need forests for a life sustaining planet. Unless we stop cutting forests down we will have to consider that there is an insidious virus on this planet that radicates forests. Humans are eradicating forests. It would therefore be wise to consider that this forest killing virus is the human being or it is the virus that the human being is being host to. We must consider our interdependent nature with forests otherwise we many all die a slow death.
New Legislation
Forest Legislation
In early September, the Senate voted on two measures affecting California's forests. Your help is needed to assure that our old growth forests, water quality and wildlife are protected.
The Bryan Amendment on Logging Road Subsidies
The Bryan amendment is similar to the Porter/Kennedy amendment in the House. If passed, the amendment will eliminate all federal funding for logging road construction in National Forests. The House recently voted to eliminate half of the subsidies for logging road construction. It is time for the Senate to finish the job.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Katie McGinty - Council on Env. Quality - Phone (202)-456-6224/ FAX:
202/456-2710
Secretary Dan Glickman - US Dept. of Ag. - Phone (202)-720-3631/ FAX:
202/720-2166
T. J. Glauthier - Office of Management & Budget - Phone (202) 395-4561/
FAX: 202/395-4639
What you can do:
Write to Senators Boxer and Feinstein and ask them to oppose any
legislation that would: increase logging in California National Forests,
threaten old growth forests, critical wildlife habitat and water quality,
harm other forest uses, or override current environmental law.
Write to:
Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Sample Letter to the Editor
Todays date
To the Editor:
Last month, the House of Representatives voted on a measure that would have
eliminated all federal funding for logging roads in National Forests. The
measure was being supported by a coalition of taxpayer and environmental
organizations. Taxpayer groups liked the fact that it would eliminate a
$100 million subsidy. Environmentalists aimed to prevent the tremendous
ecological damage that is caused to our forests, water quality and wildlife
habitat by the construction of new forest roads. The measure passed the
House handily, but a secondary amendment restored over half of the funds.
The subsidies continue, and our forests and wallets will continue to
suffer.
In September, the Senate will vote on a similar measure. Senator Bryan of Nevada will offer an amendment to the Interior Appropriations bill to end subsidized logging road construction in our National Forests. Senators Boxer and Feinstein are still undecided on the issue--they should both support the amendment. If the construction of logging roads is a legitimate business expense, then the timber corporations should pay to build their own roads.
Congress has demonstrated its commitment to end "welfare as we know it" and balance the federal budget. The House voted to eliminate only half of the logging road subsidy. Let's hope the Senate gets it right, and eliminates the entire program. The construction of logging roads at taxpayer expense is fiscally irresponsible, environmentally harmful, and ought to be discontinued.
Sincerely,
Paul Spitler
Western Ancient Forest Campaign
California Field Office
2655 Portage Bay East, Suite 5
Davis, CA 95616
(916)-758-0380
fax (916)-758-0382
Now is the time to act
For more information call (707) 923-DEMO or (707) 459-4110.
Also the Mendicino Environmental Center: (707) 468-1660.
Bay Area Coalition for Headwaters (BACH) (510) 835-6303
Earth-First - (510) 848-8724
To learn more about forests please link to:
To see whats happening to other forests look at the following links.
The next 4 links are provided courtesy of:
RAN - the Rainforest Action Network
Peru
Committee to Support the Revolution in Peru
Bad, But Not Unsurprising News In Peru as (S)hell does the destruction that it does so well.
Shell, apparently not kept busy enough with genocide in Nigeria, has their very dirty hands in Peru in the rainforest, in an area supposedly protected for the indigenous cultures. Find out all about this at: http://www.ran.org/ran/info_center/aa/aa126.html where there is an on-line letter-faxing capability.
The Amazon
Meanwhile in the Amazon, Malaysian Loggers are preparing to clear-cut up to 30 million acres of rainforest. Another on-line form at: http://www.ran.org/ran/info_center/aa/aa127.html
Alberta
In Canada, The Government of Alberta is allowing pulp interests to plunder the forests to feed corporate profits. Alberta is home to much of the Rocky Mountains, Banff and Lake Louise. Protection for special places (i.e. wilderness) is gone. Go to http://www.ran.org/ran/info_center/aa/aa109.html
then send some email to: AltaTalk@gov.ab.ca