Ancient giants fall under new timber rules

February 7, 1996
Web posted at: 9:30 a.m. EST

From Correspondent Don Knapp

PORTLAND, Oregon (CNN) -- Three years ago, loggers and environmentalists shook hands on a deal many thought would end the timber wars of the Northwest and mostly spare the few patches of forests that remain. But now, as new rules from Congress slash environmental protections, ancient giants are crashing down in the public forests of Oregon and Washington.

In these forests, blue is the color of death, and orange the color of life. Environmentalist Ken Carloni explains that the orange dab of paint on a tree meant that originally, the tree was to be classified as a wildlife tree and remain where it was. "Now that it has blue paint on it, we assume it means 'canceled -- this tree is coming down.'"

Last year, Congress passed a short-term timber measure known as the salvage logging law. It allows timber companies to harvest trees that have been destroyed by fire or bugs, but also lets loggers cut some pristine old growth.

What perhaps precipitated the environmental crisis in these forests is a recent ruling by federal Judge Michael Hogan, which in effect has opened up for logging more 14 more tracts of land -- all of them old-growth parcels.

Environmentalists say the ruling could force the Clinton administration to release 6,000 acres of forest where the threatened sea bird is thought to nest.

Thanks to the new rules, trees that had been locked up in legal battles over the protection of endangered species like the spotted owl since 1991 may soon fall.

And suddenly, loggers can cut enough trees on national land to send 4.5 billion board feet of lumber to market. It takes 10,000 board feet to build an average-sized house.

Bob Ragon of timber company Sun Studs Inc. says, "What it means to us is another six months supply of logs and timber that up until it (the bill) was passed, we didn't have."

It's not just ancient trees that are being lost to the new rules. Logging and other human activity have taken a toll on fish that once used to be bountiful in forest streams and rivers.

In the old days, a million coho salmon returned to the Umqua River each year. Now, only a few thousand make their way back, and part of the problem is believed to be damage done by logging.

Some loggers say they'll try to protect streams, but the salvage logging law provides no legal protection for the fish.

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Ancient giants fall under new timber rules

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