Forests At Risk

Oregon’s Forest Protection Act (OFPA) has been on life support for some time. Written and enacted in 1972, it is a dinosaur in light of today’s science.

With their great wealth and political clout, the timber industry has blown life into the OFPA, to the detriment of our forests. Oregon State University’s recent study indicates that the Northwest’s forests are as equally impacting on climate change as tropical forests.  Changing current logging practices is essential.

The ill health of our state’s forests is not only fundamental to growing climate chaos and resulting fires and floods, but toward any semblance of sustainability in forest production. Following the same rutted road leads our forests to ruin. Gov. Kate Brown’s brokered deal with a few randomly selected conservation and timber groups again takes us down that rutted road.

A few feet of buffers for aerial herbicide applications does not represent a deal. Buffers don’t work. The fine mist of toxic sprays, the beating of helicopter rotors and wind changes can send drift for miles.

One day’s notice of herbicide application does not give citizens time to move their children, their animals and transplant their gardens.

Giving up one of the intrinsic American rights to protest (free speech) violates the few remaining protections to make the people’s voice of dissent heard.

Throwing out initiatives robs us of our right to vote on important issues.

Stay out of the ruts. Oppose Brown’s broken deal.

Richard Gross

Deadwood