1992 RESOLUTIONS
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| 1992
FWOC RESOLUTION #2 |
|
_OLD GROWTH FORESTS AND JOBS_
|
| Despite the attempt by the
media, (backed by corporate interests) to create the smokescreen of
owls vs. jobs, the reality in the old growth controversy is loss of
jobs now vs. loss of jobs later. |
| Forest workers and their
timber dependent communities are wrongly blaming the environmental
movement for loss of jobs. The main reasons for this decline are:
the introduction of the chain saw and other high tech logging methods;
closure of mills tooled for old growth logs because they are unable to
compete for the purchase of timber due to high prices obtained by log
exportation; also overcutting and mismanagement of forests by both the
private and government agencies. |
| Undoubtedly, at the
present rate of cutting the last 2.7 million acres of old growth
forests will be gone within a few years and forest workers and their
communities will then face unemployment because the trees will be
gone. It makes good sense that remedial action through
legislation be taken now to lessen the hardship of unemployment and to
promote the diversity of the economies of their communities. |
| Similar bills in Congress
have been introduced to deal with these problems: S 2895, (the
Adams-Leahy bill) and HB 4899 (the Miller bill). Both bills cover
old-growth in Washington, Oregon and certain specified counties in
Northern California. They provide retraining, education, extended
unemployment benefits, and relief for mortgage payments for the
workers.
They also provide low-interest, second growth; also to small business
enterprises to diversify the economy; and technical, financial and
other assistance to the communities. The bills also provide some
restrictions on log exports. |
| Both bills mandate the
sustainable yield management of the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of
Land Management lands, with special provision for the protection of the
yew trees. |
| The Federation of
Western
Outdoor Clubs supports both S 2895, and HR 4899 with its Heritage
Amendment. The Federation believes that the forest workers and
their unions are in reality the natural allies of environmentalists in
dealing with forest management issues. The Federation extends an
invitation to the state labor organizations to support the above
described congressional legislation. |
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