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Ask Congress to Vote No on 4200 and Protect Our Forests
Early next week, the House will vote on a bill, HR 4200, that could cause serious harm to the long-term health of our public forests. The bill ignores important scientific research, threatens the Endangered Species Act, could increase the risk of wildfire and leaves roadless areas, old growth forests, and other special areas unprotected. It also would exclude the public from decisions regarding the management of our public lands.
Please ask your Representative to vote no on HR 4200, and preserve our natural heritage unimpaired for future generations
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: NO on H.R. 4200
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
Please vote to protect our national public forests. Please vote no on HR 4200.
Our public lands are valued for providing rich habitats for fish and wildlife clean drinking water for our communities, and unparalleled recreational opportunities for our families -- for now and into the future. HR 4200 is an unnecessary bill that would cause serious harm to the long term health of our public forests. Not only would this bill exclude the public from decisions regarding the management of these public lands, it ignores important scientific research, threatens the Endangered Species Act, could increase the risk of wildfire and leaves roadless areas, old growth forests, and other special areas unprotected.
I value the long term health and vitality of our public lands, and I value the opportunity to fully participate in decisions regarding the management of these lands. Please do not undermine the values for which our public forests should be managed, curtail my right to participate in the decision-making process, or cause undue harm to the long term health of these public lands. Please vote no on HR 4200.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the issues affecting the management of public national forests.
Sincerely,
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Campaign Launched:
May 11, 2006
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What's at Stake?
Our public forests, when left to their natural cycles, are a thriving and diverse home to an endless array of wildlife, fish, and spectacular old growth stands. We treasure these roadless wildlands as places to camp, hunt, fish and hike, and we depend on these places for fresh water and clean air.
Over 160 renowned scientists have stated that after events such as wildfire, nature knows best about how forests should recover. H.R. 4200 would permit aggressive salvage logging operations on federal lands that would degrade valuable fish and wildlife habitats. Logging after fires and other natural disturbances can be harmful to recovering forests, damaging water quality and the fish and wildlife that depend on them.
What's the Threat?
HR 4200, authored by Rep. Walden, will change the way our public forests are managed. These national forests should be managed to benefit all of us-- for clean water, wildlife habitat, and recreation for our families. Instead, HR 4200 would make it easier to implement harmful logging after fires and other natural events. Science clearly shows that forests recover best after such events when left alone, and that logging and other related activities hurt, rather help, this recovery. The legislation would also exclude the public from decisions regarding the management of our public lands, would remove protections for roadless areas and old growth forests and would waive the Endangered Species Act for logging on an unlimited number of acres across the country.
Please Take Action Today
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