#116 WILD NORTHWEST, January 26, 2005
A Message from Northwest Ecosystem Alliance
=====Keeping the Northwest Wild=====

Protect Imperiled Forests and Wildlife
Preserve the nation's leading green building standards: They work!

The US construction industry consumes vast quantities of wood, often from endangered forests, watersheds, or the habitat of critically endangered species like mountain caribou. Fortunately, the US Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) encourages builders to use wood from more environmentally benign sources, like forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Today, LEED standards are the largest single driver of FSC-certified wood use in the US.

Unfortunately, the Green Building Council is now under heavy pressure by the timber industry's American Forest & Paper Association to promote wood from forests logged under the association's Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and its Canadian industry counterpart. Because the SFI allows and certifies unsustainable practices such as large-scale clearcutting and logging of old-growth forests, this change would make LEED standards misleading and less able to protect the world's forests.

Please show your support for strong building standards that protect our forests and wildlife. Comments are needed by February 1.

Send a message through the US Green Building Council site, https://www.usgbc.org/LEED/Drafts/drafts_main.asp. (You may have to register first. From submit comments at the bottom of the page, choose Materials & Resources; then choose MR c6 Renewable Materials to comment. Technical difficulties? Send comments directly to nc@committees.usgbc.org .)

Please urge the US Green Building Council to:

1) Only give credit and recognition to wood from forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and other systems that provide equal or greater protection to sensitive, non-renewable forest resources and forests.

2) Not give credit or recognize wood certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), or other industry-dominated logging standards. The SFI allows and certifies non-renewable practices such as logging rates that exceed forest growth rates; the logging of old growth and endangered forests; and the elimination of biodiversity through conversion of diverse natural forests to monocultural tree farms.

For more information, visit http://www.dontbuysfi.com.

The FSC is an independent, non-profit, non-government organization whose mission is to promote environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world's forests. For more on the Forest Stewardship Council, go to http://www.fsc.org/en/

Please reply to this email to let us know that you took action. And thank you for helping keep Northwest forests wild!

Erin Moore
Communications Coordinator
Northwest Ecosystem Alliance
1208 Bay St., Ste. 201
Bellingham, WA 98225
360.671.9950 ext. 24

I need your help to persuade California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to be a savior, not a terminator, of California's and America's last wild forests.

The governor campaigned on protecting forests but has acquiesced as the Bush administration prepares to strip 58 million acres (4.4 million in California alone) of pristine, unroaded forests of their protection against roadbuilding, logging and drilling.

Governor Schwarzenegger says he wants to capture "the center" of American politics by being a champion of the environment. And he has indeed shown leadership on popular state laws that will combat global warming and protect marine life.

But apparently he hasn't registered how much Americans care for their national forests.

The governor's inaction has made it easier for President Bush to advance his appalling plan for terminating our last wild forests and throwing them open to greed-driven timber and energy corporations.

It's time that Governor Schwarzenegger heard from hundreds of thousands of people in all 50 states who want to save our last wild forests. Please go to http://www.savebiogems.org/takeaction.asp right now and send a message telling the governor to speak for the bipartisan majority by publicly opposing President Bush's plan.

If influential officials like the governor let him, the president will eliminate the hugely popular Roadless Area Conservation Rule that protects unspoiled national forest lands from coast to coast.

From California's Sierra Nevada to the Appalachian Trail, from Alaska's Tongass to the Rocky Mountains, this historic measure protects some of America's greatest sanctuaries for wildlife and people so that their timeless beauty will remain untouched forever.

The Bush administration is trying to open the floodgates to massive timber and energy sales that would send an armada of bulldozers, chainsaws and gas rigs into these last untrammeled forests.

Please go to http://www.savebiogems.org/takeaction.asp right now and tell Governor Schwarzenegger to stand up for California's and all of America's national forests.

Sincerely,

John H. Adams
President
Natural Resources Defense Council

Action Alert:

Weyerhaeuser, the number one destroyer of old growth forests in North America, continues to ignore local communities when it comes to logging old growth forests on aboriginal lands. In November, the Canadian Supreme Court stated in a landmark ruling http://action.ran.org/ctt.asp?u=2844473&l=75397 that the Government of British Columbia has a duty to consult with the Haida Nation and accommodate their rights when renewing all tree farm licenses on their land. Rather than respect the rights of the Haida Gwaii, Weyerhaeuser has appealed the ruling and continues to withhold mapping information about old growth cedar requested by the Haida for analysis and planning to ensure that the ecological and cultural benefits of their forests are sustained for present and future generations. British Columbia's outer islands known as Haida Gwaii are a temperate rainforest archipelago that have been called a northern "Galapagos" due to rich biological diversity. The old growth cedar forests have been a central part of Haida culture for generations. If left up to Weyerhaeuser, all that will remain will be stumps.

Take Action Today! Tell Weyerhaeuser that communities matter.

Click here to visit our online Action center and send a message to Weyerhaeuser CEO Steve Rogel: http://action.ran.org/ctt.asp?u=2844473&l=75398

By eliminating the roadless rules put in place by the Clinton Administration, Bush and Governor Arnold Schwarznegger will be able to build logging roads into the national forests to speed up the cut of the california redwoods. Please send a email to protect the redwood ecosystem: http://www.environmentcalifornia.org


Informant: Bigraccoon

Kleenex, one of the most popular brands of tissue products in the world, contributes to the destruction of ancient forests in Canada.

In response to this wasteful destruction, Greenpeace has launched a public campaign in Canada and the US against Kimberly-Clark with other environmental organisations.

http://prefs.greenpeace.org/mail-links/clicks/4754.1360712.5409

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,11935420%255E3462,00.html


Informant: Deane T. Rimerman

http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/01/86117.php

Conservationists deny loggers access to old growth forest

by Tha Lil Birdy Wednesday January 12, 2005 at 04:23 PM
geco@green.net.au 03 51540156

Early this morning conservationists blocked access to an area of old growth forest situated in Ellery 40 kms north east of Orbost. A structure has been constructed on the access road, preventing logs being removed from multiple controversial logging coupes.

Log trucks have been turned away since 3.30 this morning. A thirty metre tree platform has also been attached to logging machinery halting all logging work within untouched old growth forest.

This action follows on from yesterday, where sixty local, national and international conservationists effectively stopped work in an old growth logging coupe in State forest. Today, one woman is sitting eight metres above the access road in a wooden structure, whilst another two women are perched thirty metres high on a tree platform connected to logging machinery.

“These actions draw attention to the fact that the current government is still not listening to the people. It’s time for Premier Steve Bracks to end all old growth logging immediately” said Billy Dain, spokesperson for the Goongerah Environment Centre.

Ellery contains wet old growth forest and rainforest. Even after the announcement by the Bracks government of a 43% reduction in saw log allocations, nothing has been done to permanently protect the remaining old growth forest. Logging these areas has severe impacts on endangered species such as the Sooty Owl, Long Footed Potoroo and the Powerful Owl.

“These conservationists are putting the spotlight back on the need to protect these areas of high significance. Once these areas are logged they turn from fire retardant wet old growth forest into fire prone regrowth.” He continued.

“It’s time for Premier Steve Bracks to listen to the people of Victoria and across Australia and fix this problem.” He concluded.

Conservationists plan to continue their efforts for as long as it takes for the government to stand up and finally end all old growth logging.

For more information contact:
Billy Dain Goongerah Environment Centre
03 51540156
*Look out for photo updates.

http://www.geco.org.au

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http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/01/86118.php

Logging industry shows its force

by Tha Lil Birdy Wednesday January 12, 2005 at 04:28 PM
geco@green.net.au 03 51540156

Conservationists were unexpectedly met with excessive numbers of Department of Sustainability and Environment officers along with Victorian police today.

Over twenty five officers have entered the contentious old growth area where sixty conservationists have effectively shut down logging operations in Ellery Forest, 40kms north east of Orbost.

The protest highlights the need for Premier Steve Bracks to act immediately and end old growth logging. Recent surveys suggest that over 80% of Australians are opposed to logging the remaining unprotected old growth forests.

“The show of numbers from the department and police today suggests that this is a critical issue that the government would like to remove from the public spotlight. The issue of old growth logging has been on the forefront of campaigns by conservationists for over a decade. Steve Bracks needs to act fast to fix this problem.” Said Billy Dain spokesperson for the conservationists.

Arrests are imminent as the present government has introduced new laws which effectively lock the public out of state forests.

“Conservationists are holding tight until the remaining unprotected old growth forests are finally included into a reserve system” he concluded.

For more information
Billy Dain
Goongerah Environment Centre
51540156


Sixty Conservationists stop logging in Old Growth Forest
http://www.melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/01/86072.php


Informant: Andrew Robinson

I wanted to give you an update on the status of our battle to keep the state from massively logging in Jackson State Redwood Forest -- OUR publicly owned forest.

As most of you will recall, the Campaign to Restore Jackson State Forest won a lawsuit in 2003 that continued to prevent the planned massive logging of Jackson Forest. In 2004, Senator Wesley Chesbro introduced a bill to reform management of Jackson Forest. This bill passed both the California Senate and the Assembly, only to be vetoed by the governor in September.

The governor vetoed the reform bill even though you and other forest supporters sent 3,000 letters asking for his signature.

What's next? There appears to be no point in trying to pass another reform bill this year. The veto of the reform bill was a direct result of the unrelenting opposition of the California Department of Forestry (CDF) and its allies in the timber industry. They had the inside ear of the governor, and there are no signs yet that this will change in the coming year.

Until the Campaign intervened, Jackson Forest logging was a huge source of funding for programs benefiting the department and the timber industry. The department and the timber industry want to keep it that way.

Given this situation, we intend to use all legal avenues to prevent the resumption of logging, while working within the state to reduce the influence of the timber industry in the governor's office.

CDF is now rushing to get court-ordered revisions to its environmental documents completed and approved. If it succeeds, logging will start under a management plan that envisions applying variations of clearcutting to half of the forest. This would be an ecological and recreational disaster.

The next point when action is needed will be when the environmental documents are released for public review. This will not occur for several months. Our expert consultants will review and comment on the documents. We'll let you know when and how to comment, too.

After the review is complete, the Board of Forestry will determine whether to approve the environmental documents and the associated management plan. If, as can be expected, the Board does approve them, the Campaign will review them for legal problems. If the environmental documents do not meet the requirements of the law, which we expect will be the case, we will challenge them in court.

Please forward this message to your family and friends.

The Campaign has been the only effective representative of the public’s interest in Jackson Forest. We have stopped logging in our public forest for five years. We have forced the forestry department to follow the environmental laws. We have created widespread awareness of the state’s greed for profits and contempt for the public and the environment.

Please help us stop those who want to use our public redwood forest for profit. Show the government that we the people have the power and will to protect what is ours.


Sincerely yours,

Vince Taylor
Executive Director
Campaign to Restore Jackson State Redwood Forest
http://www.jacksonforest.com/

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-forest23dec23.story


Informant: Bigraccoon