More than one million acres a year are being brutally clearcut. In the process 360,000 miles of roads have been built in the forests. No other government or government agency in the world is responsible for such a huge road system. Over $2 billion a year of taxpayers' money is spent building and maintaining logging roads and cleaning up after logging operations. Timber companies pay less than $400 million a year for the trees, meaning they receive over $1.5 billion worth of free services to help them ravage public land. The U.S. Forest Service administers this huge welfare program for the timber industry, while covering up the losses with accounting schemes which "make the savings and loan businesses look like an angel," according to one investigator.
The abuses of the USFS have gotten so bad that even the mainstream media has noticed. A New York Times headline (Nov. 3, 1991) asks, "Why Let Chainsaws Pare the Old Forests At All?" In an article in the October 3, 1991 issue of Atlantic Monthly, the author calls for a complete halt to all logging in the National Forests, restoration of land damaged by clearcutting and tree farming, and management of the National Forests exclusively for recreation and the preservation and enhancement of biodiversity.
The forests of the generations are dying, while environmental bureaucrats lobby politicians paid off by the timber industry. They beg for tree museums, called Ancient Forest Preserves. Election year vagaries may or may not allow new forest legislation to happen. As Congress twiddles its thumbs, the forests continue to fall. No matter what, legislation will be a compromise, with lines of protection drawn by political interests, not with respect for a healthy forest.
Public awareness is growing, but it won't be enough to save forest ecosystems unless we can transform awareness to Outrage. The 100 years of Forest Service reign has been one of rape and ruin. The National Forest is dying from their lies. Please join with others around the country and get out in the street, the woods or the deserts to make John Muir Day a rowdy, outrageous and effective Day of Outrage.
Start planning your local action now. A coordinating group in the San Francisco Bay Area is putting together an action packet. It will include news clips, info sheets, artwork, media info and other ideas to help you pull off a successful action. The packet will be available for a $15 donation to help cover printing and postage costs. If you have ideas, materials or artwork that would be appropriate for the packet please get in touch with us as soon as possible! To get the packet or contribute materials, write to: Day of Outrage, P.O. Box 411233, San Francisco, CA 94141-1233. The phone number is (415) 921-3578.
MARK APRIL 21 ON YOUR CALENDAR AND GEAR UP!
Copyright Mendocino Environmental Center 2004
Permission granted to excerpt or use this article if source is cited