National Forest Campaign News - Sierra Club
August 2003

Arkansas Chapter Sierra Club

I want to thank each and every one of you who contacted Representative Vic Snyder's office and urged him to vote against the Mclnnis fire bill. Snyder was the only Arkansas congressman that voted against the bill, and I have no doubt that he was influenced by Sierrans numerous calls, letters, and emails. Unfortunately this fire legislation did pass the House, and similar legislation that threatens the biodiversity of our National Forests will be introduced in the Senate this month. On a more positive note, Representative Leach introduced the National Forest Protection and Restoration Act in the House with 86 original co-sponsors. This incredibly proactive bill seeks to end industrial logging programs in our National Forests and to redirect taxpayer subsidies to forest restoration projects and worker training.

You may be wondering what you can do to protect our forests amidst all the legislation and fire hysteria? If so, allow me to offer some suggestions:

• Contact Vic Snyder's office and see if he may be interested in co-sponsoring the National Forest Protection and Restoration Act.
• Give Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor a call (or fax/email) and ask them to vote against legislation that opens our National Forests up to lawless logging under the guise of fire prevention.

If you have made calls and still feel that you must be even more involved in protecting Arkansas' National Forests contact:

Holly Ferguson
116 W. Spring St.
Fayetteville, AR 72701
479-571-3005
holly.ferguson@sierraclub.org

The National Forest logging program continues to cause substantial environmental harm, threaten our last remaining wild forests and lose taxpayer money hand over fist. This is a federal program that makes no environmental or economic sense. Instead, the Congress should be acting to end the National Forest commercial logging program and to permanently protect wild forests.

The National Forest Protection and Restoration Act introduced by Rep. Jim Leach (R-IA), proposes to end the federal commercial logging program and to redirect federal funding into a pro-active forest restoration program. This approach to forest management would provide greater benefits to all Americans by ensuring that National Forests will continue to provide clean water, quality recreation opportunities and abundant fish and wildlife.

The Bush Administration and the Forest Service under Chief Dale Bosworth appear to be headed in a direction that disregards sound environmental stewardship. Since taking office, President Bush and Chief Bosworth have failed to defend the roadless protection policy, have overturned forest management rules that provided protection and have worked to increase logging at the expense of our natural heritage.

In recent testimony to Congress, Chief Dale Bosworth called for an increase in commercial logging. Using the threat of forest fires, the Chief urged that citizen involvement in federal forests be reduced and for the weakening of our nation's basic environmental laws.

The Forest Service continues to spend over a third of its budget on the logging program, which leaves little money available for other important programs such as recreation, habitat and species protection and, forest restoration. With an $8.4 billion backlog in road and bridge maintenance, thousands of jobs could be created by substantially increasing the road maintenance budget.

Help make a difference by joining the thousands of conservationists calling for the protection and restoration of America's National Forests. You can contact your Representative and Senators by calling the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121.

Urge Your Representative to:

• Co-sponsor the National Forest Protection and Restoration Act
• Support permanent protection of all remaining National Forest roadless areas
• Support responsible fire management that protects communities first

Please urge your Representative to co-sponsor the bill or thank him/her if they already have. See http://thomas.loc.gov for additional information about bills, co-sponsors and past votes. or more information on National Forest issues see www.sierraclub.org/logging.

If you have made calls and still feel that you must be even more involved in protecting Arkansas' National Forests contact:

Holly Ferguson
116 W. Spring St.
Fayetteville, AR 72701
479-571-3005
holly.ferguson@sierraclub.org