I am writing in support of permanent legislative protections for old-growth and mature forests on BLM land in western Oregon.

The Trump administration is moving forward with plans to return to 1960s-level logging on 2.5 million acres of some of the most ecologically significant forests in the country. And a bill in the House of Representatives, H.R. 7603, would rewrite federal law to make timber production the primary purpose of these lands, with wildlife, water and recreation as afterthoughts.

We need to call our senators and representatives in Congress to oppose both of these efforts and to support legislation that permanently protects old-growth and mature forests on federal public land.

U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have provided leadership on this issue, including the recent letter requesting an extension of the public comment period. We need to thank them for that support and ask them to go further and reintroduce old-growth protection legislation like Wyden’s previous O&C bill. That framework proved you can increase timber harvest and protect old growth at the same time. The forests need that legislation now more than ever.

These forests filter drinking water, sustain salmon runs, store enormous amounts of carbon and belong to every American.

For additional information, follow More Than Just Parks on Substack.

Barbara Shields
Eugene