Page - February 22, 2010
Greenpeace calls for an immediate national moratorium on large-scale commercial logging and road construction on federal forests that are under the administration of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The moratorium should remain in effect until the mismanagement of these forests has been thoroughly investigated by the government and an open and transparent multi-stakeholder processes determines the exact size and location for new federally controlled protected areas.
Forest Crimes Unit protests the United States Forest Service in Portland, Oregon
Mismanagement of America's public forests has been systemic for most of the past century. Today only 15 percent of our once plentiful ancient forests remain. Less than five percent remains within the lower 48 states. The gross failures of these agencies responsible for the management of our public forests are profound, resulting in severe ecological and economic loss to the nation.
Save What's Left
The vast majority of our last ancient forests are on federal public lands. What is left of our ancient natural heritage is rapidly disappearing at the hands of corporate interests and a USFS and BLM that too often act in direct contradiction to their core mandates.
Endangered Forests, Endangered Freedoms
Federal regulations governing forest logging are being eviscerated under the Bush Administration. In addition, new regulations contrary to America's democratic principles are restricting the ability of the public to participate effectively in the planning process.
Our Money
The General Accounting Office (GAO), an investigative branch of Congress, found that USFS accounting practices "made it impracticable, if not impossible, for us or anyone to accurately determine the USFS timber sales program costs." Between 1992-1997 the Forest Service lost $2 billion on its logging program. A Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility study of BLM's timber sales shows widespread noncompliance with the agency's own policies and regulations, and as much as half of the agency's timber was removed without proper payment from the timber industry. The value of ancient forests are immeasurable to America's long-term strategic interest and it is senseless to destroy what remains and to bleed the federal treasury - your tax dollars - to do so.
Fire
A congressionally commissioned scientific study has found that commercial logging, more than any other human activity, increases the risk and severity of fires. USFS studies, too, have confirmed this, and the agency's chief fire specialist found that brush removal - rather than logging - is needed to prevent unnaturally severe fires. Despite these findings, both the USFS and the BLM continue aggressive logging programs that worsen fire risks, while largely avoiding the most effective fire protection practices.
Only two percent of America's timber comes from our federal forests.
We can well afford to take these necessary actions.
Read our letter to the Sectetraries of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior, Anne Veneman and Gale Norton.
Download the PDF version of this briefing.