FWOC Logo

1997 RESOLUTIONS


Home

About the FWOC


Join the FWOC


Member Organizations


Adopted Resolutions


Outdoors West


Officers


Current List of Conservation Developments with Bush Administration


History


Policy Summary


Convention Schedule


Related Links


Site Map










FEDERATION OF WESTERN OUTDOOR CLUBS







1997 FWOC Resolution No. 3

INTERIOR COLUMBIA BASIN ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT PLAN


The long struggle over the fate of the remaining ancient forests on public lands began on the westside of the states of Washington and Oregon. But as that effort escalated in the late 1980's, increased attention was drawn to the equally beautiful and threatened forest ecosystems on the eastside of those states, as well as on similar lands in Montana and Idaho, a region known as the Interior Columbia Basin.
The Clinton Administration, which announced its Northwest Forest Plan in 1994, as the solution and final policy for westside forests, chose to address the problems of the equally degraded Interior Columbia Basin forests in a different way: through a study...the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project (ICBEMP).
The ICBEMP has completed a detailed Scientific Assessment of the entire region, and has issued a DEIS proposing new management practices for the public forest and rangelands therein.  However, there is a sharp contradiction between the findings of the Assessment and the management recommendations of the DEIS.

The Assessment confirmed that widespread damage to water quality and critical wildlife habitat has resulted from  logging, grazing, fire suppression, and road construction.  But, oddly, the new "management practices" proposed would increase logging and roadbuilding on those same public lands... an untenable result after the clear findings of the Scientific Assessment, and one only explained by political pressure.
The Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs request that the Forest Service reject the proposals for more logging and grazing on Interior Columbia Basin forests as called for in the ICBEMP DEIS and instead, take immediate steps to implement the recommendations contained in the Scientific Assessment, including:

1.  Protection of all critical wildlife habitat, all roadless areas and ancient forests in the Interior Columbia Basin.

2.  Adoption of land management practices which would improve water quality in the Interior Columbia Basin.

3.  Restoration of all public lands damaged by previous management practices in the Interior Columbia Basin.



.............................................................................................................................................................................

F.W.O.C. member clubs and members are urged to send this resolution to President Clinton, the U.S. Forest Service, Senators, Congressional representatives.




next >>

| About the FWOC | Join the FWOC | Member Organizations | Adopted Resolutions | Outdoors West | Officers |

| Current List of Conservation Developments with Bush Administration | History   |  Policy Summary | Convention Schedule Related Links | Site Map   |