Twenty years ago, the Northwest Forest Plan went into effect. Agency reviews show it has been effective at protecting drinking water supplies for millions of Americans and restoring forests impacted by decades of unsustainable old-growth logging. The plan produces as much timber as Congress provides funding for, and with relatively little controversy.
It has also turned forests in the region from being a source of carbon emissions into a sink, a rare climate change success story. Protected forests also provide for abundant recreation and critical habitat for threatened Marbled Murrelets and Northern Spotted Owls. It was the first and so far the best integrated ecosystem management approach that accounts for a variety of public values in addition to timber volume.
President Clinton deserves great thanks for leaving the American people such a treasure, a treasure that was rapidly disappearing prior to his leadership. So it is of great concern to see proposals that threaten to weaken the plan. As president of the American Bird Conservancy, of particular concern are plans to increase logging of old-growth reserves and mature forests that are currently protected.
Clinton’s forest conservation legacy is something to build on by conserving forest carbon as part of the new Climate Action Plan. Future generations will benefit from and thank those involved for the effort.
