daveme@tekirl.LABS.TEK.COM (Dave Mead) (06/06/89)
Ancient Forests
of the
Pacific Northwest
The ancient forests of the Pacific Northwest harbor in
the shade of their high canopies a unique ecosystem that we
are only beginning to understand. These old-growth forests
contain more organic material per acre than the densest
tropical rain forest and are very much analogous to the
tropical forests in terms of their role in preserving air
and water quality, as well as wildlife habitat. These
forests are comprised mainly of Douglas fir, the world's tal-
lest tree (one specimen at 385 feet). Often in excess of
eight feet in diameter its bulk rates second only to the
Redwood/Sequoia species.The Douglas fir has been the world's
main source of lumber since the middle of the 19th century,
yielding five times the timber per acre of the best Eastern
forests. An early traveler was inspired to write these
words:
"Oh! What timber,"...."These trees...these forests of trees...
so enchain the sense of the beautiful that I linger on the
theme and am loth to depart. Forests in which you cannot ride
a horse...in which you cannot possibly recover game you have
shot without the help of a good retriever...forests into which
you cannot see, and which are almost dark under a bright midday
sun...such forests, containing firs, cedars, pine, spruce and
hemlock, envelop Puget Sound and cover a large part of the
Washington Territory, surpassing the woods of all the rest of
globe in the size, quantity and quality of the timber."...
"...monarchs to whom all worshipful men inevitably lift their
hats."
Samuel Wilkeson.....1869
Only 5-15% of these forests remain and they will soon
be gone at present cutting rates. A whole diverse ecosystem
is being fragmented and destroyed at society's bidding only
to be replaced by a time constrained monoculture of see-
dlings (many are literally cloned) that will be lucky to
reach an age of 60 years. We are trading a valuable piece of
our heritage for the wood and paper of our throw-away
society.
One of the first casualties of this destruction of the
ancient forest habitat is likely to be the northern spotted
owl, a very tame bird that dwells in tree hollows of the
deep forests. Listed as a "threatened species" under the
Endangered Species Act, it has become the focal point of a
legal battle between the timber industry and various groups
of concerned citizens (Audubon Society, Oregon Natural
Resource Council, Wilderness Society, National Wildlife
Federation, Sierra Club, and many others). With many timber
sales tied-up in court the timber industry is fighting hard
to circumvent the legal system through use of its' politi-
cians at the state and federal level who are heavily influ-
enced by timber interest "contributions". Various bills have
been introduced to prohibit law suits against the government
to stop logging on public lands. Jay D. Hair, president of
the National Wildlife Federation, said:
"We are truly outraged by these undemocratic maneuvers.
Limiting the right of citizens to judicial relief violates
the most sacred principles on which our government is
founded."
The timber industry has launched a large public rela-
tions barrage on Northwest TV with slick ads that would lead
one to believe they are only engaged in raising bald eagles,
fawns, salmon, wild-flowers, Christmas trees, and all other
sorts of cute, fuzzy things. Not once have they shown a
denuded clear-cut with waist-deep erosion and silted
streams, the real product of their efforts. "Weyerhaeuser,
the tree growing company." is the slogan.
A word of compassion is in order for the
logger/millworker. Since 1820, when the damage started,
he(or she) has been used. Working at dollar-a-day rates they
risked and lost their lives in an effort to provide civili-
zation a cheap and plentiful supply of wood products. Only a
few of the people at the top got very rich. Today workers
are losing their jobs due to mismanagement of an industry
grown too large for the resource. Log shortages, combined
with increasing mechanization and foreign export of logs,
have squeezed out Northwest millworkers at increasing rates.
At present cut-rates the old-growth will be gone and more
down-sizing will be inevitable. Some smaller operators
realize this and have adapted to harvesting second-growth
and other species of trees. Ironically the vast bulk of
top grade timber producing lands are privately held and usu-
ally lie in low altitude, easy to manage/harvest areas. Stu-
dies have shown these lands to be capable, under intense
management, of supplying an adequate sustained yield of logs
for our needs. Lack of proper replanting and management com-
bined with over-cutting has left this resource largely un-
tapped while the timber industry has moved out to destroy
old-growth on public lands. Most of the public forests are
higher altitude, harder to harvest, and much less produc-
tive. As with the Exxon Valdez, we again have the public and
the environment picking up the tab on personal (and govern-
mental) greed and incompetence.
The Forest Service and large companies have not yet adapted
to the reality of their deeds. They and the Bush adminis-
tration have aggravated the log shortage by the proposed
selling of raw logs to Japan to make up for the Reagan defi-
cits. U.S. wood-products workers should feel sold-out by their
own companies, the President, and the Forest Service. These
people are caught in the middle and vilify the "environmen-
talist" by displaying tee-shirts saying things like, "Sierra
Club kiss-my-axe" and " Save a logger, eat an owl!". A
local TV news program reported an attack of gun-wielding
displaced wood-products workers on Memorial Day, week-end
campers in the Yakima, Washington area. Shots were fired
and some of the campers were injured in the scuffle which
was reported to have started over "the spotted owl contro-
versy". These people are confused and looking for a scape-
goat in a complex issue that is threatening their liveli-
hoods. There really are no villains in this conflict,
except perhaps for a few key people who have manipulated the
situation for their own gain.
In 1905 Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson, at the
behest of Theodore Roosevelt, created the United States
Forest Service to be commanded by its founder, Gifford Pin-
chot. Pinchot's charter stated:
"All the resources of the Forest Reserves (later known as
National Forests) are for use and this must be brought
about in a thoroughly prompt and businesslike manner, under
such restrictions only as will insure the permanence of
these resources. Where conflicting interests must be re-
conciled, the question (please note) will always be de-
cided from the standpoint of the greatest good of the
greatest number in the long run."
(Parenthetical statements are mine.)
The current collision course of the timber industry is
in clear conflict with not only the Endangered Species Act
but the legal goals of the Forest Service. Pinchot did not
say "..greatest good of loggers", or"Oregonians", or even
"Americans". He meant all people, born, and yet to be born.
That is where the outside world comes in. The loss of
ancient forest is a world-wide calamity that we have all
created and is probably far more advanced than the loss of
Amazonia which is slated for 50% destruction (we are at 90%
already). It's time for people to invest a quarter, or a
shilling, or a franc, or whatever postage costs to let the
officials know we want to save the ancient forests of the
Pacific Northwest and their inhabitants.
I am including along list of addresses of appropriate
people to contact. Please feel free to use the following
letter but I would prefer you write in your own words if
possible. Include your credentials (especially if you have
relevant training). Please write congressional leaders and
urge them to vote against any legislation circumventing the
legal appeals process or allowing increases in raw log
exports or cutting rates.
David Mead
Tektronix Labs
Disclaimer: My opinions are not necessarily those of my
employer.
Dear ________,
I am greatly concerned over the loss of the ancient forests
of the Pacific Northwest. Please do all in your power to
preserve what remains of this unique ecosystem for future
generations.
Sincerely,
______________
President Bush
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, D.C
20500 202-456-7639
Secretary of the Interior
Washington, D.C
20240
Chief Dale Robertson
USDA Forest Service
12th St. and Independence Ave. SW
PO Box 96090
Washington, DC 20090
202-447-3957
Director U.S. Dept. of Fish & Wildlife
Dept. of the Interior
Washington, D.C
20240
Director of BLM
Dept. of the Interior
Washington, D.C
20240
Senator Mark O. Hatfield
Hart Building, Room 711
Washington, D.C.
20510 202-224-3753
Senator Bob Packwood
Russell Building, Room 259
Washington, D.C.
20510 202-224-5244
Congressman Les AuCoin
Rayburn Building, Room 2159
Washington, D.C.
20515 202-225-0855
Governor Neil Goldschmidt
254 State Capitol Building
Salem, Oregon
97310 1-800-322-6345
Oregon Natural Resources Council
Yeon Building, Suite 1050
522 SW 5th Ave
Portland, Oregon 97204
Locals: Get acquainted with forest regulations and specific issues, report
violations. A biologist friend in the Forest Service says this is *very*
effective. Reporting nesting sight of spotted owls, goshawks, etc. to
USDAFS, Fish and Wildlife, and others works.
Pacific Northwest Region
_____________________________________________________________________________
Regional Supervisor
USDA Forest Service
Pacific Northwest Region
319 SW Pine St.
PO Box 3623
Portland, Or. 97208
503-326-2877
_____________________________________________________________________________
Forest Supervisor Forest Supervisor Forest Supervisor
USDA Forest Service USDA Forest Service USDA Forest Service
Colville N.F. Ochoco N.F. Umpqua N.F.
Federal Bldg. 155 N. Court St. 2900 Stewart Pkwy.
695 S. Main St. PO Box 490 PO Box 1008
Colville, Wa. 99114 Prineville, Or 97754 Roseburg, Or.97470
509-684-3711 503-447-6247 503-672-6601
Forest Supervisor Forest Supervisor Forest Supervisor
USDA Forest Service USDA Forest Service USDA Forest Service
Deschutes N.F. Okanogan N.F. Wallowa-Whitman N.F.
1645 Highway 20 East 1240 2nd Ave South 1550 Dewey Ave.
Bend, Or PO Box 950 PO Box 907
99114 Okanogan, Wa. 98840 Baker, Or.97814
503-388-2715 509-422-2704 503-523-6391
Forest Supervisor Forest Supervisor Forest Supervisor
USDA Forest Service USDA Forest Service USDA Forest Service
Fremont N.F. Olympic N.F. Wenatchee N.F.
524 North G St. 801 South Capitol Way 301 Yakima St.
PO Box 551 PO Box 2288 PO Box 811
Lakeview, Or. 97630 Olympia, Wa. 98507 Wenatchee, Wa.98801
503-947-2151 206-753-9534 509-662-4335
Forest Supervisor Forest Supervisor Forest Supervisor
USDA Forest Service USDA Forest Service USDA Forest Service
Gifford Pinchot N.F. Rogue River N.F. Willamette N.F.
6926 E. 4th Plain Blvd. 333 West 8th St. 211 East 7th Ave.
PO Box 8944 PO Box 520 PO Box 10607
Vancouver, Wa. 98668 Medford, Or. 97501 Eugene, Or.97401
206-696-7500 503-776-3600 503-687-6521
Forest Supervisor Forest Supervisor Forest Supervisor
USDA Forest Service USDA Forest Service USDA Forest Service
Malheur N.F. Siskiyou N.F. Winema N.F.
139 NE Dayton St. 200 NE Greenfield Rd. 2819 Dahlia St.
John Day, Or. 97845 Grants Pass, Or. 97526 Klamath Falls, Or.97401
503-575-1731 503-479-5301 503-883-6714
Forest Supervisor Forest Supervisor
USDA Forest Service USDA Forest Service
Mt. Baker-Snoq. N.F. Siuslaw N.F.
1022 1st Ave. 4077 Research Way
PO Box 1148
Seattle, Wa. 98104 Corvallis, Or. 97333
206-442-5400 503-757-4480
Forest Supervisor Forest Supervisor
USDA Forest Service USDA Forest Service
Mt. Hood N.F. Umatilla N.F.
2955 NW Division 2517 SW Hailey Ave.
Gresham, Or. 97030 Pendleton, Or. 97801
503-666-0700 503-276-3811