SIX MYTHS ABOUT LOGGING OUR NATIONAL FORESTS

Myths

1)                Our National forests are already protected from logging:

Reality        Massive unsustainable logging is business as usual in our national forests.  It’s encouraged by the U.S. Forest Service and subsidized by U.S. taxpayers.

2)                We need to log the National Forests to satisfy America’s demand for wood:

Reality       National forests provide less than 4% of our wood products. By recycling, reducing waste, and using more non-timber alternatives (e.g. agricultural product such as kenaf and hemp  for paper) we could easily compensate for the removal of national forests from the market.

3)                Logging is crucial to the economies of communities near national forests:

Reality     Outdoor recreation provides more than 88% of the jobs generated by national forests; logging accounts for just 2%.

4)                Logging is needed to prevent forest:

Reality     More than any other human activity, logging actually increases the risk and worsens the severity of forest fires.  When commercial logging crews remove the largest most fire-resistant trees and leave behind only small trees and brush, fires ignite more easily, spread faster, and burn hotter.

5)                Logging roads provide access to recreational opportunities in our national forests:

Reality    The 30,000 miles of existing logging roads actively threaten recreational opportunities: they destroy wildlife habitat, and cause erosion that dumps silt into fish-bearing streams.  Roadless areas are actually critically important for maintaining wildlife diversity and restoring declining fish populations.

 6)                Americans won’t support a ban on commercial logging in their national forests:
Reality     Many already support such a ban, and others are joining them every day.