In July 2002, forests and wilderness areas of southern Oregon and Northern California were ravaged by the Biscuit fire. Almost four years later, issues from the fire still burn hot in the state of Oregon.
Because around 37 percent of the Biscuit fire burned in a roadless, protected area of wilderness, the issue of removing timber from the burn site has found politicians and environmental activists alike in a continual battle to determine whether the various wilderness protection acts should trump the potential gold mine of salvageable logs.
For its part, the Bush administration has taken the fairly clear stance that roadless rules are in no way set in stone; the federal government has been easing rules on roadless areas across the nation. In June, the U.S. Forest Service went as far as to auction off logging rights for the Biscuit fire area, without the approval of Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski. In order to protect the designated roadless wilderness of his state, Kulongoski appealed the Forest Service’s action, but to no avail: Last Wednesday, a federal judge denied attempts to block logging in the Biscuit area.
Luckily, Kulongoski has promised to continue his petitioning in order to protect Oregon land. The actions of the federal government however display both environmental and political misguidance.
Salvage logging can serve as a way to reap economic benefit from an otherwise devastating fire. On the other hand, forests reap immense benefits when humans let timber stay put. Decaying, organic material is an important aspect of any ecosystem; when people enter the picture and take away that material, already ravaged wilderness areas might not have the opportunity to prosper.
Furthermore, roadless areas are roadless for a reason; in order to preserve pristine land. If people and their machinery are to access scorched timber, it is a given that vegetation and habitats will be damaged or destroyed in the process.
In failing to heed the wishes of Gov. Kulongoski with a blatant disregard for roadless rules, the federal government shows a parallel disrespect for the wishes of individual states. As a leader of Oregon, Kulongoski deserves to have his voice heard when it comes to matters of the state he has been elected to govern.
Kulongoski has promised to continue petitioning the Bush administration, and we have no doubt that he will keep true to his word. When once again pressed about salvage logging in the Biscuit fire area, the federal government ought to remember that economic incentive should never be valued over fragile wilderness land.