Forest Service OKs Logging in Tongass

[GreenPartyVoter]

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Federal officials are allowing a 665-acre timber harvest in a roadless area of Tongass National Forest, the first since an anti-logging rule was lifted early this year.

The harvest was announced Friday by the Forest Service along with the agency's plans to approve a proposed 1,800-acre harvest next month.

"Supporting our local communities is an important part of what we do and offering these timber sales is a way we can accomplish that goal," Tongass National Forest Supervisor Forrest Cole said in a statement. "My hope is these timber harvests will help our local family-run mills keep operating and create jobs."

Environmentalists decried the announcement, while a timber industry group applauded it.

http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20040710/D83NMG4O1.html


Industrial hemp, anyone??? :shrug:

[SHRED]

1. Criminal

Rapers and pillagers of the land when we have a perfectly viable alternative.

see links in sig:

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Stupid logging industry would stand to make BIG Bucks if they would

just phase in growing hemp. But no, they gotta fight sanity tooth and nail.

[SHRED]

3. Yep

Basically you just change the "feed stock", in the mills, from wood fiber to hemp fiber. Not a heck of a lot of retooling for a massive return on investment, environmental and financial!

[SHRED]

4. Notice...

how the article calls it a "harvest". As if the ecosystem won't be harmed.

Many of these people, who work in the timber industry, pride themselves on being conservative and "independent" but hypocritically run to the government when they want a jobs guarantee program like this.

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. Yep. They just slap another "Hate logging? Try using plastic toilet paper

bumper stickers on their pickups.

[SHRED]

6. New bumper sticker idea

"Logging Jobs:
A government hand-out tradition"

Not that you'd be safe with it on your car though.