The Bureau of Land Management is proposing a timber sale in the Shotgun area northeast of Eugene. Right now we all have the opportunity to tell them which of their alternatives we prefer.
A few of my concerns: The BLM claims to harvest trees at a sustainable rate, but many of their tree plantations are lagging behind the growth rate predicted by their sustainability model. In these times of climate change, optimistic predictions of growth are foolish.
The BLM’s sustainability model does not address carbon sequestration. As carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases it traps heat around the earth’s surface. The value of our forests comes from the capacity of trees to keep carbon out of the atmosphere. When a stand of mature trees is cut, the amount of carbon sequestration it had been providing is lost totally. The immature trees that replace it will not store as much carbon for many years to come. Not including carbon sequestration in any model of sustainability is outmoded and irresponsible.
Every year we anxiously watch the news as millions of acres of forest are destroyed by wildfires. Today our woods are full of fuels: fallen trees, branches on the ground, dead branches on lower tree trunks. Part of the BLM’s job is to protect the forest. Failure to remove fuels and thin dense stands of trees is indefensible.
The BLM is mandated to do more than sell timber. We must encourage them to update their sustainability model and manage the forest for health and fire prevention.
Jean Guidry
Springfield
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519
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