KS Wild goes to the US Capitol!
Written by Alexi Lovechio on March 28, 2023
KS Wild and the Forest Climate Coalition went to Washington DC to advocate for permanent protections for mature and old-growth forests.
In late March, KS Wild Forest and Climate Coordinator, Alexi Lovechio, went to Washington DC to advocate for permanent protections for mature and old-growth forests on public lands. Accompanied by 24 forest activists from across the country, the forest activists attended 42 meetings with Senate and Congressional staffers, Department of Interior officials at the Bureau of Land Management, and the Council on Environmental Quality.
The DC fly-in was organized by the Climate Forest Coalition, a nationwide effort that advocates to protect mature and old-growth trees and forests from logging across America's public lands as a cornerstone of U.S. climate policy.
The goals of the trip were to talk about the importance of mature and old-growth forests, to advocate for policy to permanently protect these forests, and to highlight destructive timber sales happening across the country. Western Oregon Bureau of Land Management lands were discussed as having some of the most egregious mature and old-growth logging projects including; the Penn Butte and Late Munger Timber Sales, and Bear Grub Timber Sale. Alexi and the other activists highlighted the importance of these low elevation forests as connectivity corridors and how they contain some of the last older trees in the region.
KS Wild and the Climate Forests Coalition celebrated a success last year on Earth Day 2022 when President Biden issued an executive order directing federal land managers to define and inventory America's remaining mature and old-growth forests and to then create policy to protect them. The maps and definitions are due to be completed by Earth Day this year. The executive order was a great example when talking with Congressional staff of why we need permanent protections for our older forests.
Mature and old-growth forests are essential to removing climate pollution and storing carbon, safeguarding wildlife, and providing clean drinking water for our communities. These forests need to be protected and off limits to federal logging projects. These forest activists made their voices and concerns heard in Washington DC and will continue to pressure the Biden Administration until our older forests are protected.
You can learn more about KS Wild’s efforts to push for permanent protections of mature and old-growth forests and even take action to help us in our efforts at our old-growth campaign page.
KS Wild and other forest activists met with Oregon Senator Jeff Merkely’s office to advocate for Oregon forests.