Public Forests: More information

Oregon Coast Range rainforest (Tim Giraudier)

The Northwest has less than 20% of its original forests remaining after decades of intense industrial logging. The Oregon Coast Range has been hit particularly hard and has lost approximately 95% of its original forests.
 
Every year, our government sells publicly owned tracks of older forest to private timber corporations. National Forests managed by the US Forest Service and other public lands are then roaded and logged at a loss to taxpayers. Trees six feet wide, 200 feet tall, and 400 years old are sacrificed for short-term profits. The public is left with clearcuts, crumbling logging roads, and muddied waterways.
 
Some Forest Service and BLM districts have phased out native forest logging, yet others continue this controversial and wasteful practice under pressure from timber lobbyists. With less than 20% of native forests remaining in our region and numerous wildlife species on the brink of extinction, it is high time to protect all remaining older forests and focus on restoring degraded landscapes.