The federal Bureau of Land Management has just proposed opening thousands of acres of forests in western Oregon to logging. It's a handoff to the timber industry, a huge loss to endangered species, and to the American public.

But there's still time to object! Your voice is absolutely critical in showing that the public cares about what happens to these forests. The BLM needs to know that Americans will not stand for degrading our streams and rivers, or the sale of some of our last ancient forests to the timber industry.

We need your voice to be heard on this issue before the Administration leaves office in January.  Tell the Bush Administration that destroying Oregon's coastal forests is unacceptable!

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

The public forests of western Oregon provide enormous benefits to the American people. They are the sources of clean drinking water for many communities, provide hiking, fishing, camping, rafting, and other recreational opportunities not often found on private lands, and provide key habitat for a wide range of wildlife and fish species, especially wildlife that are threatened with extinction such as marbled murrelets, northern spotted owls, and wild Pacific salmon.

The plan proposed by BLM for western Oregon public forests will seriously reduce streamside protections, increase clearcuts, and diminish the careful balance of wildlife protections developed through the Northwest Forest Plan. Ancient Forests are scheduled to eventually be logged. The plan unrealistically includes a 43% increase in BLM's budget, and also depends on the construction of over 1,300 miles of logging roads. The erroneous purpose of the plan is to dramatically increase logging levels. Logging should be focused on restoration projects, and in areas that would benefit by reducing fire threats to homes and property.

I urge you to withdraw the current plan and issue a new plan that focuses on protecting the lands that BLM is supposed to be managing to benefit all the American people.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
November 17, 2008