Bush Strips US Forests of Logging & Drilling Protections

Attention backpackers, hunters, campers, day hikers and all who love trout fishing. Plan your trips now to paradise, because much of paradise will soon be spoiled.

In a move dubbed "Leave No Tree Behind," President Bush last week opened nearly 60 milion acres of pristine forest land...one-third of all US forests...to logging, drilling and destructive roadbuilding. In doing so, Bush overturned a proud accomplishment of the Clinton presidency, one that took 2 years, 600 public meetings and received 4 million public comments. More than one-half of US forests have already been degraded by logging and other destructive activities.

The forests affected by this pro-business Bush move are located in 39 states, but 97% are found in 12 Western states. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson calls the move anti-environment and a wholesale assault to drill more oil and gas and cut more timber. "It's going to start a war in the West" he commented.

Among forest areas slated to lose protections from development are some of the most beloved, beautiful and oldest US wildernesses including portions in or near the Grand Canyon, the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Colorado's Rocky Mountain backcountry, California's Sierra Nevada backcountry, Oregon's Wild Rivers area, Washington's Olympic National Forest and Idaho's Boise National Forest. And many, many more!

In December 2003, Bush "temporarily" exempted from protections the Tongass and Chugach National Forests in Alaska, despite 250,000 public comments opposing the move. In only Tongass, the largest old-growth temperate rainforest on earth, there are now 50 separate timber sales moving forward.

Why protect national forests? What happens when forests are not protected? Who wants to remove protections? I summarize this environmental nightmare and answer your questions here.

And I also answer the burning question, What can I do to stop this degradation some of our country's greatest natural treasures? As Bill Clinton said, "Once lost, they are gone forever."