Rampant Timber Thefts in Pacific Northwest Forest Service Lands
12/2/98
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Title: Rampant Timber Thefts in Pacific Northwest Forest Service Lands
Source: American Lands
wafcdc@americanlands.org
Status: Distribute freely with proper credit to source
Date: 12/2/98
FOREST FOCUS, the bulletin of American Lands, December 2, 1998
To reach us call (202)547-9400, fax (202)547-9213, or email
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THEFT IN THE NEWS: On Tuesday, November 24, ABC World News Tonite reported
that timber theft on Forest Service Lands in the Pacific Northwest is
rampant. The show is an outgrowth of Government Accountability Project's
case against the Forest Service for closing the Timber Theft Investigation
Bureau. GAP's investigator took an ABC news crew to several sites of
active and past timber theft. For more information or a transcript of the
program please contact Charlotte Fox, Government Accountability Project,
at 202/408-0034 x122
THIEF JAILED: Jimmie Ray Derington was sentenced to 33 months in prison
for stealing trees from the Sequoia National Forest in California, reports
Associated Press. Derington was convicted of theft of government property
and depredation of government property after evidence showed Derington and
his logging crew had stolen the trees from September 1993 to the spring of
1995. This sentence is the longest in California history and the second
longest in the United States for timber theft.
SUPPORT UTAH'S GRAND STAIRCASE: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has
released its management plan for the Grand Staircase-Escalante National
Monument and it needs many improvements to preserve the wilderness
qualities of the monument says the Colorado Environmental Coalition.
Conservationists ask that you write to the BLM and let them know that
Alternative D is the best for preserving the wilderness, but that it needs
improvement on issues such as delaying compliance with federal laws
governing grazing on public lands. Write to BLM Attention: Pete Wilkins,
337 South Main St. Suite 010, Cedar City, Utah, 84720 or email:
comments@ut.blm.gov. You can also attend open houses across the region.
For more information please contact Dave Pacheco at the Southern Utah
Wilderness Allliance at 801/486-7639 x12 or dave@suwa.org
WILDERNESS PSA RELEASED: R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, in partnership with the
Washington Wilderness Coalition, has released a television and radio
Public Service Announcement to educate citizens about the need to protect
America's wild forests. The partnership began in September when R.E.M.,
Pearl Jam and Chris Cornell (formerly of Soundgarden) requested a meeting
with Vice President Gore to discuss protection for America's disappearing
forests. The PSA is now airing on VH-1 and CNN and has been distributed to
800 college radio stations. "Peter and the other band members are helping
the public to see what's happening to our remaining unprotected forests,"
said John Leary, WWC's Executive Director. "They arre being threatened
now and we must act fast before it is too late."
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE DELEGATION: Action for Community and Ecology in the
Rainforests of Central America (ACERCA) and Witness for Peace are
organizing an environmental justice delegation to Nicaragua to study the
impacts that globalization, foreign debt and Hurricane Mitch have had on
the environment and the people. Much of the damage is a result of
deforestation. Without trees to hold soil in place, heavy rains rush
across the land and into rivers leading to floods and landslides, strong
enough to wipe out roads, farms and other development. If you would like
information on joining the delegation please contact ACERCA at 802/863-
0571 or acerca@sover.net
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Steve Holmer
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American Lands
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Washington, D.C. 20003
202/547-9105
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