ForestBytes --- May 2001 Volume II, Issue 13 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ http://www.americanforests.org AMERICAN FORESTS People Caring for Trees and Forests Since 1875 To subscribe to ForestBytes: Visit http://www.americanforests.org/ If you find this information valuable, please pass it on to friends and colleagues. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TABLE OF CONTENTS I. What's Happening? ¤ Roadless Rule & Your Thoughts ¤ Largest Memorial Planting in AMERICAN FORESTS' History ¤ Senatorial Support of Community-based Forestry ¤ A Million Trees Planted! ¤ Trees Planted for Tigers II. Check It Out! ¤ Happy Anniversary, Prima Klima ¤ Make green a theme this Father's Day ¤ What is Green.gov? III. Global ReLeaf Project of the Month ¤ Henry's Fork, Idaho IV. Environmental News from ENN.com ¤ "Road ban in U.S. forests blocked" ¤ "Wisconsin reinstates wetlands protection" == What's Happening? ================================================ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Roadless Rule & Your Thoughts ---------------------------------------------------------------- On May 10th, a U.S. District Court judge denied the Bush administration's implementation of the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. That same day, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman vowed to move forward with a revised Rule saying, "This administration is committed to providing roadless protection of our national forests." A week earlier, Secretary Veneman and Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth had announced that the Administration would implement the Roadless Area Conservation Rule as proposed by the Forest Service and former President Clinton in January. The Secretary also stated the USDA would propose amendments to the plan in early June in an effort to address concerns of fairness raised by communities, industry, and others. Half a dozen lawsuits have been filed contesting the Rule. The Bush administration's decision to move forward with the Roadless Rule surprised some environmentalists. Many feared the Administration would reject the plan, which restricts logging and development on close to 60-million acres of national forests. Read AMERICAN FORESTS' response to the Administration's implementation of the Roadless Rule: http://www.americanforests.org/news_and_pubs/news/roadless.html USDA's response to the U.S. District Court judge's decision can be found at: http://www.americanforests.org/news_and_pubs/news/roadless.html Thanks to all of you who responded to our inquiry in last month's ForestBytes. We wanted to know what you thought of the Roadless Rule. The responses reflect the diversity of ForestBytes' subscribers and AMERICAN FORESTS' members overall. "I cannot express enough concern about keeping roads out of the forest. I live on the West Coast and have witnessed the impacts of timber roads that weave their ways throughout the towers of ancient and second-growth forests. Road cuts cause landslides, unnatural erosion, and sediment loading on creeks and rivers, choking fish habitat and surface water transport. I call upon anyone who loves a pristine ecosystem to write to our government with your support to keep roads out of the last of our roadless forests. Hike in!!" "It was very disappointing to read in an e-mail squib from you that AMERICAN FORESTS supports the Clinton idea of Roadless Areas in the National Forests, and the resultant no logging. Why did Pinchot and Roosevelt push their national forest idea if it was not principally to provide needed wood products for the nation? The pertinent statutes still remain as written in the Act of June 4, 1897: "...to furnish a continuous supply of timber for the use and necessities of citizens of the United States...."" Thanks again for your thoughts. Please feel free to share your ideas and suggestions with AMERICAN FORESTS. Send them to Stevin Westcott, director of communications, at swestcott@amfor.org. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Largest Memorial Planting in AMERICAN FORESTS' History ---------------------------------------------------------------- While Memorial Day is often remembered as the unofficial beginning of summer, it is more importantly a time to remember veterans who fought for the freedoms we all enjoy. Between May 24th and D-Day (June 6th), more than 2,300 VFW posts across the United States will plant Dwight D. Eisenhower Green Ash trees as part of Operation Silent Witness, a national program honoring all Americans who contributed to the Allied victory in World War II. Mary Eisenhower, granddaughter of President Eisenhower, will host a kick-off ceremony at the headquarters of People to People International, in Kansas City, Missouri, on May 24th. Mary Eisenhower heads People to People, an organization created by her grandfather. Operation Silent Witness, the largest memorial tree-planting campaign in AMERICAN FORESTS' 125-year history, is a collaborative effort between The VFW Foundation, AMERICAN FORESTS, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., and The Scotts Company. Wal-Mart is donating Eisenhower Green Ash trees to VFW posts for local Memorial Day tree-planting ceremonies. Customers can purchase their own Eisenhower trees at local Wal-Mart stores (excluding Alaska, Arizona, and Hawaii). Eisenhower Green Ash trees, grown by AMERICAN FORESTS' Famous & Historic Trees project, are direct-offspring of a tree that stands at the Denison, Texas, birthplace of President Eisenhower. Eisenhower, or "Ike" as he was called, was Supreme Commander of Allied forces in WWII and later became the 34th President of the United States. Visit: http://www.historictrees.org/wwii.htm Click to: The VFW Foundation: http://www.vfw.org/foundation/index.shtml Wal-Mart: http://www.walmartstores.com/ The Scotts Company: http://www.scotts.com/homepage.cfm ---------------------------------------------------------------- Senatorial Support of Community-based Forestry ---------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Larry Craig (R-ID) have vowed to introduce legislation that would establish a national program to invest federal funding in forest restoration and expand community-based forestry (CBF) programs that promote good forest health. Senators Craig and Bingaman announced their intentions at the U.S. Capitol during a May 10th news conference with Gerry Gray, AMERICAN FORESTS' vice president of forest policy, and other community-based forestry partners. The book, "Understanding Community-Based Forest Ecosystem Management," edited by Gray, Maia Enzer, and Jonathan Kusel, also was officially unveiled at the news conference. "The development of Community-based forest management is an important and rapidly developing means of resolving local conflicts before they become national catastrophes," said Idaho Senator Larry Craig. "This book is an important reference point for people who want to solve problems rather than generate controversies." The news conference coincided with the one-year anniversary of the evacuation of Los Alamos, New Mexico, during a fire that began as a prescribed burn near Los Alamos, but grew out of control, burning thousands of acres. At the news conference, Senator Bingaman said he believes community-based forestry can help reduce the threat of future wildfires. "It's important that we learn from the devastating Cerro Grande fire that destroyed 400 homes and caused the evacuation of an entire New Mexico city," he said. "The best lesson we could learn is that the federal government must support a sustained effort to remove hazardous fuels from our national forests, and that local involvement in that effort is crucial." Read the press release issued by Senator Bingaman's office: http://www.senate.gov/~bingaman/Bingaman_Press_Release/bingaman_press_release_1.html AMERICAN FORESTS' press release can be found at: http://www.americanforests.org/news_and_pubs/news/commBased.html To order "Understanding Community-Based Forest Ecosystem Management," visit: http://www.americanforests.org/forest_pol/cbem_flyer.pdf ---------------------------------------------------------------- A Million Trees Planted! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks to the support of individuals, businesses, and others, AMERICAN FORESTS planted 1 million trees this spring as part of its "A Million Trees for Earth Day" campaign. AMERICAN FORESTS estimates that more than 1,037,921 trees were planted through the organization's Global ReLeaf and Famous & Historic Trees programs, and by individuals planting trees near their homes and in their communities. This was the first year of the campaign. AMERICAN FORESTS plans to develop it into an even larger national tree-planting campaign in the future. Receiving significant media attention this spring, the program appeared in a number of newspapers across the country and was featured on CBS television's "Early Show." Thousands of trees were planted by schoolchildren through AMERICAN FORESTS' "A Tree for Every Child" program. More information about "A Tree for Every Child" can be found at: http://www.americanforests.org/global_releaf/earth_day_promo.html In addition to planting efforts by people throughout the United States, a number of businesses and corporations joined the "Million Trees" effort. Batteries Plus, Shaklee, Triangle-Pacific, Anheuser-Busch, and many others planted hundreds of thousands of trees in Global ReLeaf ecosystem restoration projects. Specialty retailer Eddie Bauer, through its "Add-a-dollar, Plant-a-tree" program, planted tens of thousands of trees as part of "A Million Trees for Earth Day." Visit: www.eddiebauer.com A complete list of "A Million Trees" corporate sponsors can be found at: http://www.americanforests.org/global_releaf/amtfed/corpsupport.html Learn about "A Million Trees for Earth Day" at: https://www.amfor.org/global_releaf/amtfed/join.php3 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Trees Planted for Tigers ---------------------------------------------------------------- Tens of thousands of Korean pines are now growing in the Russian Far East thanks to AMERICAN FORESTS' "Trees for Tigers" project, an international Global ReLeaf program designed to plant millions of trees to increase forest habitat for the endangered Siberian tiger. A total of 200,000 Korean pines were planted this spring, the second consecutive year AMERICAN FORESTS has planted trees for the majestic cat, whose numbers have declined by 95% over the past century. This brings the total number of trees planted through "Trees for Tigers" to 500,000. The Korean pine tree, a species that has been reduced by logging, fire, and other forces, produces a nut that is an important food source for tiger prey such as deer and boar. Planting Korean pines helps sustain tiger prey and increases Siberian tiger habitat. In addition, AMERICAN FORESTS is paying local Russians to grow and plant the seedlings, which adds money to an area that desperately needs financial assistance. Help save the endangered Siberian tiger and send a friend a postcard via: www.treesfortigers.org. == Check It Out! =================================================== * The year 2001 marks Prima Klima's tenth anniversary. Since 1991, the Germany-based, nonprofit conservation organization has been planting trees and working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. (By the way, when is the last time you calculated your carbon debt? Visit: http://www.americanforests.org/clmt_chg/carbcalc.php3) Like AMERICAN FORESTS, Prima Klima helps fund reforestation efforts around the world. In fact, AMERICAN FORESTS is partnering with Prima-Klima to plant 120,000 Norway spruce, mountain ash, beech, plane tree maple, and other species in the eastern part of the Erzgebirge, the mountains that border Germany and the Czech Republic. This project, 40 kilometers southwest of Dresden, Germany, will provide a number of benefits ranging from groundwater and air purification to better recreational opportunities. To discover the significance of the phrase "best climate," visit: http://www.prima-klima-weltweit.de/english/intro.php3?top=english * Mother's Day has come and gone and so are the flowers you probably gave her. But there's still time to give your Dad a Father's Day (June 17th) gift that will last. Instead of buying him aftershave that will just gather dust, plant Global ReLeaf trees for dear ol' Dad that offer many POSITIVE environmental benefits. He'll receive a Global ReLeaf certificate showing the number of trees you have planted in his name. These gifts do a lot more than just sit on a shelf and collect dust. They're gifts that will make both of you feel good and offer benefits that literally last a lifetime. To help the environment and show your affection for Dad, click to: https://www.amfor.org/global_releaf/treesasgifts.html Encourage friends to do the same. The planet, your children, and theirs will thank you. Also, help your father plant a shade tree in his yard. It will offer many environmental benefits and help reduce his energy bill. * Have you visited Green.gov during your Internet travels? Green.gov, a website operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, promotes the planting of trees and gardens for the new millennium. The site educates visitors about the important role trees play in maintaining a healthy environment. It also discusses the loss of urban, suburban, and rural trees and highlights many environmental projects across the United States that are working to offset this trend. AMERICAN FORESTS is a Green.gov partner and has had tree-plantings featured on the website. Green.gov has three specific goals: 1. "For every person to plant and/or adopt a tree or a garden for the new millennium." 2. "For every community to identify and protect a heritage tree, grove, or natural wonder or treasure of special significance for the new millennium." 3. "For every business or corporation to plant and/or adopt a tree or garden, or protect a natural resource wonder or treasure for the new millennium on behalf of every employee or client-working through national, state, and local nonprofit tree planting, garden, and conservation groups." Visit: http://www.green.gov/index.htm Your children will enjoy: http://www.green.gov/kids/index.htm ********************* ARE YOU A MEMBER??************************ Do your part to help the environment today by joining AMERICAN FORESTS. Not only are 25 trees planted for you in a damaged ecosystem or forest restoration project, but you will also receive: - A free subscription to our quarterly magazine - A free Big Trees calendar - A window decal Join Today! Visit http://www.americanforests.org/ ***************************************************************** == GLOBAL RELEAF - PROJECT OF THE MONTH ========================= Henry's Fork, Idaho The whitebark pine habitat in the Targhee National Forest has suffered a dramatic decline since 1988 when fires, then insects and diseases, ripped through area that borders Yellowstone National Park. The planting of 5,000 whitebark pines will help reestablish stands in the Henry's Fork area, part of the Snake River watershed. This project will allow long-term production of food sources for endangered grizzly bears, which eat the whitebark pine seeds before hibernating for the winter. Do you want to do something good for the environment, but find you just don't have the time? Plant trees through AMERICAN FORESTS' Global ReLeaf program via: https://www.amfor.org/newforms/treesself.php3 == ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS AND FEATURES FROM ENN.COM ================= * "Road ban in U.S. forests blocked" http://www.enn.com/enn-subsciber-news-archive/2001/05/05112001/ap_road_43485.asp * "Wisconsin reinstates wetlands protection" http://www.enn.com/enn-news-archive/2001/05/05092001/wetlands_43409.asp ____________________________ ForestBytes ________________________ Thanks for your support of ForestBytes, AMERICAN FORESTS' monthly email newsletter. If you find this information useful, please forward it to friends or colleagues. FEEDBACK OR OTHER ASSISTANCE: mailto:forestbytes@amfor.org PLANT TREES WITH AMERICAN FORESTS: http://www.americanforests.org/global_releaf/ BECOME A MEMBER OF AMERICAN FORESTS: http://www.americanforests.org/membr_bnfts/ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - http://www.americanforests.org AMERICAN FORESTS People Caring for Trees and Forests since 1875. _________________________________________________________________