In a letter to West Fraser Timber, the Coastal Rainforest Coalition says West Fraser -- which has sold its coastal operations but has extensive Interior holdings -- will be a target again unless it negotiates a deal with environmentalists.

"CRC opposes all logging of ancient forests, not just those on the coast," states the the June 5 letter signed by CRC director Michael Marx.

"It is inevitable we will again find ourselves in conflict as we resolve coastal issues and turn our markets pressure to other regions where your company operates."

The letter provides the first clear statement on the goal of the international campaign against B.C. forest products, which to this point has been restricted to coastal forests.

Forests Minister Jim Doyle described the letter as a threat, which undermines the progress by regional environmental groups and other stakeholders in settling land-use disputes .

The letter has been widely circulated among industry CEOs, stirring a backlash against efforts by coastal companies to sign the agreement with the activists.

"They are not only telling us where to log but how to log," International Forest Products CEO Duncan Davies said.

"This kind of agenda makes it very difficult to find common ground," said Wayne Clogg, vice-president of coastal operations for West Fraser.

Both West Fraser and Interfor have left the talks.

The coalition, which includes the powerful Rainforest Action Network and Natural Resources Defence Council under its umbrella, is one of three major groups attempting to negotiate eco-logging standards on the coast in exchange for an end to the market campaign.

With the exception of a few second-growth tree farms, all logging in B.C. is in old-growth forests.

Community leaders and CEOs from major licencees -- including Weyerhaeuser Co., which had been the lead company in the peace process -- met last week to plan a renewed marketing campaign to counter environmental foes.

Port McNeil Mayor Gerry Furney said there is growing support for a campaign he wants to see funded by government as well as industry.

"There never was a commitment on the environmental side to live to an agreement," Furney said of the process, called the Coast Forestry Conservation Initiative. "They gave themselves too much wiggle room."

Weyerhaeuser CEO Bill Gaynor said his company is still committed to a negotiated truce and it is too early to say whether he would support a renewed campaign.

"But we need to make sure everyone understands we have an environmentally and socially and economically sustainable business here."

In an interview, Marx said he did not intend for his letter to be viewed as a rallying cry against negotiating with environmentalists. "We are still trying to find a way to make peace in the woods."

However, he would not comment further on his statement in the letter that the movement intends to extend its marketing campaign into Interior forests.

"Let West Fraser read what it will into the letter," he said. "The intention was to persuade West Fraser to re-enter the talks for a solution."

Marx said the threat of a B.C. campaign to counter the markets campaign is not a concern. He said environmental groups have targeted companies armed with public opinion polls that show most American consumers oppose rainforest logging. Error: Unable to read footer file.