1997 FWOC Resolution
No. 3
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INTERIOR COLUMBIA BASIN ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT PLAN
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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.
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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).
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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.
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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.
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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:
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1. Protection of all
critical wildlife habitat, all roadless areas and ancient forests in
the Interior Columbia Basin.
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2. Adoption of land
management practices which would improve water quality in the Interior
Columbia Basin.
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3. Restoration of all
public lands damaged by previous management practices in the Interior
Columbia Basin.
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.............................................................................................................................................................................
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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.
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