Oregon Voters Who Care About the Environment

I am posting the following from Kevin Mieras and Jeremy Rogers

Measure 34 needs your help! Dress up like a salmon and show your support, volunteer to distribute literature, or just send an email to your friends! The time is now to protect Oregon’s state-owned rainforests. Please commit to one thing, even an email, to help pass this critical Measure.

Our state forests are in deep trouble. There is a 54% increase in clear-cutting over the next 2 years, no areas set-aside for fish and wildlife habitat or recreation, and pathetic 25-ft no-cut buffer zones on streams. This level of protection is even less than what Washington and California have on private forestlands, even though the DEQ has designated all salmon-bearing streams in the Tillamook and Clatsop State Forest as too-warm for the successful spawning and rearing of wild salmon!

Worse yet, state officials are subverting the public process and negotiating logging levels in backroom deals with the timber industry.

The Tillamook is OUR state forest, it was planted by Oregonians 50 years ago, and now it is our turn to protect it. The Tillamook is one of the last unprotected coastal rainforests in the lower 48 states. With Measure 34, we have a phenomenal opportunity to set-things right for state forest management in Oregon and deliver what Oregonians can agree upon—balanced forest management. Under Measure 34, 50% of the forest will be dedicated to protecting clean water resources (1/10 Oregon families depend on water from the Tillamook), fish and wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities. The other 50% will managed under the existing department of forestry plan with purpose of generating sustainable timber and revenue production for the state and local counties. Current local school funding levels are guaranteed and 34 will require that 5% of state forest revenue will be deposited in the common school fund which helps all of Oregon’s schools.

History has shown that marginal changes in harvest levels on these state forests have little if any impact on overall timber/wood products employment and science shows that forests managed for recreational use are less likely to catch on fire (not to mention the Tillamook is a coastal rainforest—natural fires are rare. The Tillamook Burn fires were sparked by logging accidents). The truth is that Measure 34 helps prevent forest fires and ensures sustainable, long-term jobs in the timber industry, creates new jobs in restoration forestry, and strengthens our struggling—yet vital—sport and commercial fishing industry. It’s a win-win for Oregon.

This is a huge step in the right direction for state forest management, and I strongly urge you to deliver just 2 hours of volunteer time in the next 10 days. The Yes on 34 campaign needs your help sign-waiving and distributing literature in the Portland Area. Please contact Jeremy Rogers @ jeremy.rogers@tillamook5050.org or 503-484-8678 if you can help. We will be sign waiving from 7-9am and 4-6pm every weekday and weekend afternoons between 11-4. If you are interested, we’ll even let you wear the salmon suit! You can also stop by the office, 816 NW Hoyt St, Portland, OR 97209, at any time and the campaign staffers will give you literature and a map to distribute literature or put you to work at the office. At the very least, please copy and paste from this email and let your friends know that "Yes" on 34 will help protect Oregon’s state forests while maintaining school funding and jobs.

Honestly, with so many people undecided on the measure, just 2 hours of time between now and the election can make a huge difference for the future of Oregon’s coastal forests!

Thanks!

Jeremy Rogers

Field Director and Volunteer Coordinator—Yes on 34
target="_blank">www.tillamook5050.org

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Posted by rowan at October 22, 2004 8:48 PM | TrackBack | [eMail this article!] |