The Newsletter of Forest Service Employees For Environmental Ethics Fall 2020 Are public lands too dangerous to visit?

Inside COST VS. BENEFIT OF AERIAL FIREFIGHTING / NEPA RULES ROLLBACK GREAT AMERICAN OUTDOORS ACT / COVID CROWDS ON PUBLIC LANDS A HAWAIIAN NATIONAL FOREST?

Photo: Charles Wollertz Is Aerial Firefighting Cost-Effective?

by Randal O’Toole 2020, it wasn’t released to the public until August. It’s

recently watched four large air tankers drop tens of quite possible that the delay was because the Forest thousands of gallons of fire retardant on the Green Service didn’t want to admit how poorly it makes aerial IRidge Fire, which is burning within sight of my firefighting appear. backyard. The air tankers included two twin-jet MD- On one hand, the report makes it appear that most 87s, a DC-7 and a CV-580. aerial drops of water or retardant were effective at Between them, the four planes are capable of something. But the report also makes it clear that most dumping more than 11,000 gallons of retardant, and weren’t effective at doing very much. Only about 10 they each made several passes at the fire. A west wind percent actually halted the spread of fire, while another was pushing most of the fire to the east, but there was 20-30 percent slowed it down. The remaining “success” also some push to the south. The tankers were painting was from “reducing the intensity of fire,” but that a wide swath of forest red south of the burning area to doesn’t mean much if the fire continues to spread (and try to slow or halt the southerly expansion of the fire. become more intense) beyond the drop area. The next morning revealed that the fire had crossed The report also indicated that helicopters tend over the retardant-drenched area and was continuing to be more successful than air tankers. One reason to burn south. This naturally raises the question of is speed. It takes seven minutes or more to fill the whether aerial firefighting is worth the cost. 3,000-gallon-tank on an MD-87, and it can only be With the tankers costing thousands of dollars an done at an airport with a runway that is at least 6,000 hour to operate and the retardant costing at least $2 feet long. That means they can only do four or five runs a gallon, the Forest Service spent more than $500 per hour. In contrast, some helicopters can carry more million on aerial firefighting in 2017. It may end up than 2,500 gallons of liquid, and they can dip down to spending even more this year as the pandemic has led a creek or lake that is close to the fire and fill their tank firefighting agencies to rely more on aerial attacks and in less than 45 seconds. That means they can do 10 runs less on ground forces. dumping a total of 25,000 gallons of water on the fire Dollars aren’t the only cost. So far this year, at per hour. least four pilots have lost their lives due to crashes of A second issue is the difference between water firefighting tankers and helicopters — a helicopter pilot and retardant. Water douses or at least cools the fire; in Arizona, another in California and two airplane retardant is only expected to slow its spread. While pilots whose planes collided in Nevada. That’s after helicopters were dumping water right on the Green zero aircraft fatalities in 2019. Ridge fire, the tankers were dropping the retardant The Forest Service spent the last eight years writing next to the fire. If it is windy or the retardant fails a report addressing the question of the effectiveness of to completely drench the ground cover, the fire can aerial firefighting. Although the report is dated March leap over or pass through the retardant-covered area.

Inside

3 | Featured Forest 7| Briefly 11 | Book Reviews Cherokee National Forest boasts Great American Outdoors Act ‘Toward a Natural Forest’ biodiversity that shines in autumn • Reprieve for the Appalachian • ‘Black Woman in Green’ Trail • NEPA Rules Rollback 4 | In Depth Bark beetles and wildfires kill trees, 8 | Dispatch but does the risk of dead trees A National Forest in Hawaii? • COVID falling justify closing public lands? Crowds on Public Lands • Pristine Alaskan Lands Under Threat

2 | Forest News - Fall 2020 Retardant is also environmentally “like measuring a vaccine’s human health, he is also dubious controversial. While air tankers can effectiveness on how well needles about dropping water on fires. carry water as well as retardant, hit arms, not whether disease is “What doesn’t evaporate before it why bother with the high cost of prevented,” he told a reporter with hits the ground will do so shortly an air tanker when helicopters can E&E News. thereafter,” he said. “Twenty drop more per hour? The Forest Service report minutes later, nothing will have The Forest Service report also responds by providing some changed.” This is especially true if found that aerial actions were measures of effectiveness: halting the aerial work is done in place of, much more likely to be successful the fire, reducing the rate of spread, if they were providing support for reducing the intensity of the rather than in support of, on-the- on-the-ground firefighters rather fire. The real question shouldn’t ground firefighters. than working alone. The report be whether aerial firefighting is The hard reality is that the indicates that retardant drops were effective but whether it is cost- Forest Service has virtually twice as likely to halt the spread of effective, that is, is it doing as unlimited money to spend on fire and significantly more likely to good a job as if the same amount firefighting. If money is unlimited, delay the spread of fire if ground of money were put into on-the- then it doesn’t matter whether forces were also present. On the ground forces. retardant drops from expensive Green Ridge Fire, nearly all of the There is a way of answering air tankers are effective or not. In ground forces were working on the this question, Stahl points out. fact, it’s better to make ineffective east side of the ridge, where the About half the requests by incident wind was pushing the fire, while commanders for retardant drops drops than to have the fire get away the west side was defended mainly aren’t fulfilled. “Looks like the when it appears the agency is doing by the helicopters and air tankers. makings of a natural experiment nothing to prevent it. My friend Andy Stahl, with 50 percent controls and Fifty years ago when I was executive director of FSEEE, is 50 percent treated,” he said. “So in forestry school, some of my critical of the methodology used compare the two datasets as to professors admitted that aerial by the Forest Service. Before the measurable parameters.” But the firefighting was done solely for recent report came out, he noted Forest Service refused to do this in show. If it wasn’t done, they that incident commanders — the its report, saying that there were said, reporters would ask why people who lead the fights against too many variables. But if that’s and demand that it be done. wildfires — tended to judge success true, Stahl concludes, how can any Supposedly, the technology has by whether retardant drops hit conclusions made by the report be their targets, not whether they considered meaningful? improved since then. But it seems helped to suppress the fire. That’s While Stahl is particularly that much of it is still for show. skeptical about large-scale Randal O’Toole is a senior fellow use of retardants due to their at the Cato Institute and author of environmental costs and effects on “Reforming the Forest Service.”

A DC-7 dumps 3,000 gallons of retardant on an area already painted red with the stuff to try to keep the fire on the left from moving to the right (south) overnight. The day after an aerial attack, the fire may have been slowed in the area painted red with retardant, but it easily bypassed that area and continued moving south. Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics | 3 Featured Forest The multi-colored leaves of fall hint at the biodiversity of Cherokee National Forest as seen from the Cherohala Skyway (Mark Norton).

Cherokee herokee National Forest bookends Great Smoky Mountains National Park National in Tennessee, following the spine of the Appalachian Mountains along the C Tennessee-North Carolina state line. The southern section of the forest Forest extends to Georgia while the northern section reaches to Virginia. The misty mountains of this National Forest harbor one of the most biodiverse regions in the temperate world, with nearly 10,000 known plant and animal species and more still being discovered. Eight wilderness areas lie within Cherokee National Forest as well as parts of three others. The Appalachian Trail traverses the northern section of the Cherokee, including the Roan Highlands with its high-elevation meadows and hollows famous for prolific rhododendron blooms. In the southern part of this National Forest, rivers like the Ocoee and Tellico offer renowned whitewater boating opportunities. Throughout the Cherokee, an abundance of waterfalls and azaleas, including unique hybridizing “flame” azaleas, also draw hikers. Birdwatchers and wildlife viewers come to see black bears, whitetail deer, eagles, hawks and elk, which have expanded their range since being reintroduced into Great Smoky Mountains National Park. As summer turns to fall, the scenery in and around the National Forest transitions from lush green to a full palette of color. The changing leaves make the Forest’s two scenic byways — the Ocoee Scenic Byway and the Cherohala Skyway — especially attractive. Both roads cross the southern portion of the National Forest, while the northern section contributes to the views from the Blue Ridge Parkway. Fall is also a popular time for backpacking and hunting in Cherokee National Forest.

4 | Forest News - Fall 2020 Dead and dying trees line the shore of North Fork Reservoir in Colorado’s San Isabel National Forest following a spruce beetle outbreak. The Forest Service has closed the adjacent campground and parking area, In Depth citing the risk of dead trees blowing down (Joe Stone). Are public lands too dangerous to visit?

arm, sunny days and officials what was the rationale for our forest service staff to make cool, starry nights closure and why they think the informed recommendations W make summers in the trees are dangerous. Their initial regarding forest health.” She Colorado high country hard to response was to send a copy of continued, “To ensure the safety beat, and given the current COVID the 2017 Forest Service “Guide to of the public, the (Salida) district crisis, outdoor recreation is just Hazard Tree Management” for ranger (Jim Pitts) recommended what the doctor ordered. North the Rocky Mountain Region. The closing the campground” because Fork Reservoir Campground in the guide stresses the importance of beetle-killed trees with “the San Isabel National Forest is the of “documenting hazard tree characteristics of a failure.” type of escape people are seeking program protocols and inspections” Like the closure order, — remote location, nine physically- and calls for implementing “a Young’s response fails to cite any distanced campsites, an alpine lake hazard tree management program” data to establish the risk of tree — but the campground is closed. to provide “a systematic approach “failure” at the campground. Her The Forest Service closure for mitigating tree hazards.” response also avoids answering our order states that the closure is When asked about a hazard straightforward questions, citing “to protect public safety due to tree program and associated staff “expertise and experience” standing dead trees within and documentation, Forest Service instead of data or even the adjacent to the campground and Public Affairs Specialist Crystal protocols and documentation parking area as a result of Spruce Young responded, “The Forest called for in the agency’s Bark Beetle mortality.” Service commonly relies on own “Guide to Hazard Tree We asked Forest Service the expertise and experience of Management.” Since the closure

Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics | 5 these orders increasingly apply to dispersed recreation, especially after forest fires. Examples include the post-fire Eagle Creek closure in Oregon’s Mount Hood National Forest, which prompted a letter from FSEEE petitioning the Forest Service to rescind the closure. As our letter states,

National Forest lands are open to dispersed recreation unless an affirmative decision is made to close particular areas to such use. This “open-unless-closed” policy harkens back to the forest reserves’ Trees killed by the Eagle Creek Fire in Mount Hood National Forest stand along Interstate 84 near Cascade Locks, Oregon. A post-fire closure order for the earliest days, as indicated in burned area cites “safety” to justify closing the area to dispersed recreation, “Forest Reserve Manual for the and the Forest Service Burned Area Report claims “a high risk to safety within the burn area from hazard trees” (Margalob, Wikimedia Commons). Information and Use of Forest Officers”: “All law-abiding order includes the North Fork zero backcountry deaths to falling people are permitted to travel parking area, it also limits access trees. in forest reserves ... for pleasure to dispersed recreation, including According to the 2014 study, or recreation” (April 12, 1902, alpine lakes and the Colorado Trail. just over 39 percent of backcountry USDI/GLO). Andy Lerch, lead forester with deaths are caused by humans the Colorado-based Arkansas River falling, which is more than 40 Additionally, the Wilderness Watershed Collaborative, told us, times as many deaths as are Act does not authorize closing “I don’t have any firm data on the caused by trees falling. According wilderness lands to dispersed risks of backcountry travel through to the data from all four studies, recreation on the grounds that the burned or beetle-killed forests. hiking leads to more deaths and natural, wild state of those lands is ... Any backcountry travel in a injuries in the backcountry than unsafe. Since dead trees are natural forested environment carries some any other activity, but the Forest features of forest ecosystems, level of risk from falling trees or Service has not proposed banning their presence does not provide a limbs, even in green forests, where hiking due to the inherent risk. legitimate basis for issuing closure there are still snags, broken limbs, Speaking of risk, North Fork orders. That basis loses even more and trees with rot that may pose a Campground sits 11,000 feet legitimacy in light of the lack of risk of falling.” above sea level, almost 3,000 feet supporting evidence. In fact, no empirical data exist higher than the elevation at which Nonetheless, a closure order for to provide a scientific basis for healthy individuals are at risk of dispersed recreation “implemented closure orders due to the risk from pulmonary and cerebral edema. So for the safety of the public” dead trees, i.e., snags. A U.S. study even the risk posed by traveling to remains in effect following the 2017 conducted in 2014 identified a total locations above 8,200 feet is greater Jones Fire in Oregon’s Willamette of 212 backcountry deaths and than the risk from dead trees. National Forest. When asked about attributed two of those deaths to Of course, the Forest Service the rationale for the closure, Forest falling trees. Multi-year studies in can close National Forest lands for Service Public Affairs Specialist New Hampshire and Washington any reason under the 1897 Organic Chiara Cipriano responded, “The (Wilderness and Environmental Act. Closure orders increasingly Jones Fire Closure includes areas Medicine) and Arizona (Annals of cite the threat to public safety that have dead and dying trees that Emergency Medicine) attribute from standing dead trees, and pose a serious or deadly risk to

6 | Forest News - Fall 2020 campers and recreationalists (sic) in Northwest, and the Forest Service fire. Studies of snag persistence the area.” Again, no evidence-based did not close National Forests following forest fires show that the risk criteria were cited to justify the during that storm. Every winter, vast majority of fire-killed trees closure. high winds topple live and dead remain standing for years after In response to the question of trees throughout the National they die. why the Forest Service thinks these Forests, yet the Forest Service does The lack of evidence and the trees are dangerous, Cipriano cited not issue closure orders in response absence of a liability issue would two Forest Service documents: to National Weather Service wind seem to validate the traditional “Field Guide for Danger-Tree alerts. “enter wild lands at your own Identification and Response Along As Lerch indicated, trees fall risk” ethos. Yet closure orders Forest Roads and Work Sites in in all forests, with or without based on unsubstantiated claims Oregon and Washington” and fire or beetle outbreaks. In fact, of increased risk from dead trees “Field Guide for Hazard-Tree forestry studies demonstrate that suggest the Forest Service has Identification and Mitigation on 85 percent of a forest’s trees will Developed Sites in Oregon and followed the lead of other federal fall as the forest matures, but the Washington Forests.” Neither agencies in creating a nanny Forest Service does not close its document cites empirical data to state bent on relegating the once- unburned forestland due to safety quantify the risk from snags. As the celebrated “Freedom of the Hills” concerns stemming from the fact titles indicate, neither document that all trees die and eventually to the dusty pages of history. At its addresses dispersed recreation, fall. Visitors to national forests heart, the issue is whether National yet these guides are cited to justify assume the risk that at any time, Forests should be Disneyland- prohibition of dispersed recreation. without any warning, a tree may like playgrounds that are safe for Furthermore, the two guides fall on them. Although trees do children or wild landscapes where misapply federal regulations, occasionally kill people when they visitors enter at their own risk. The specifically, 29 CFR 1960.8, an fall, there is no evidence that they law says the second, but the Forest OSHA workplace rule. The OSHA do so at higher rates after a forest Service seems to want the first. rule requires agencies to provide a place of employment “free Following a forest fire in Glacier National Park, thousands of dead trees remain standing. from recognized hazards that are The Forest Service increasingly closes public lands to dispersed recreation after forests causing or likely to cause death fires, citing the danger posed by standing dead trees (artiste9999, istockphoto.com). or physical harm.” However, this rule applies only to workplaces “owned” by the employer, and the Forest Service does not own these public lands. Also, no law requires the Forest Service to keep National Forests safe for public use, and the Federal Tort Claims Act ensures Forest Service immunity from liability unless it violates its own regulations. As the North Fork closure order suggests, the greatest likelihood of dead trees falling occurs during windstorms, but the Forest Service does not close National Forests during windstorms. The Columbus Day Storm brought down tens of millions of trees in the Pacific

Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics | 7 Briefly Great American Outdoors Act

The recently enacted Great American Outdoors for Western Priorities, said Act provides $900 million a year for the Land and the president “tried for years Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Created in 1964, to eviscerate the Land and the LWCF has never before been fully funded, leaving Water Conservation Fund” it subject to congressional appropriations whims. and only signed this landmark conservation bill thanks to The act also provides $9.5 billion to begin to address “public demand” and “veto- a $20 billion backlog of deferred maintenance on proof bipartisan majorities.” public lands. Most of that money will go to national parks, but about $1.4 billion is slated for National Forests. A coalition of conservation advocates, A bison grazes in Yellowstone National Park, which will outdoor recreation industry representatives, hunters benefit from funding authorized and anglers worked for years to pass this legislation. by the Great American Outdoors Act (Joe Stone). Jesse Prentice-Dunn, policy director for the Center

Reprieve for the Appalachian Trail

The Atlantic Coast Pipeline survived a procession environmental groups. The of legal challenges and setbacks that ended in June pipeline company appealed with a victory in the U.S. Supreme Court. However, and won in the Supreme Court. 20 days after the high court’s decision, the pipeline Justice Clarence Thomas developers canceled the $8 billion natural gas project. authored the majority opinion, stating that the National Park The pipeline would have passed underneath the Service holds an easement Appalachian Trail in George Washington National for the Appalachian Trail and Forest in Virginia. The Forest Service granted a that the U.S. Forest Service permit to the energy companies, but because the can grant the right-of-way. Appalachian Trail is a unit of the National Park System, environmental groups argued that the rules governing national park lands should apply. The sun sets on a scenic view from the The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the Appalachian Trail in Virginia (Adobe Stock).

NEPA Rules Rollback

Speaking of pipelines, the Trump administration the requirement to consider has made no secret that the recent overhaul of cumulative environmental rules implementing the National Environmental effects, including climate- Policy Act is intended to make it easier to change impacts. construct pipelines and other major projects. Sharon Buccino, senior In announcing the new rules, Trump complained attorney with the Natural about “mountains and mountains of bureaucratic Resources Defense Council, sees red tape” that hampered his efforts as a New York the new NEPA rules as Trump’s developer. Since Trump’s ascension to the White House, attempt at “really gutting” the NEPA regulations have played a key role in limiting landmark environmental law that the environmental damage of his domestic agenda. helps to protect our public lands. The new rules will reduce the types and number President Richard Nixon signed of projects that are subject to environmental the National Environmental review, shorten the timeline for reviews, and drop Policy Act into law Jan. 1, 1970 (public domain).

8 | Forest News - Fall 2020 Dispatch A National Forest in Hawaii?

No state other than Hawaii can deserts to the tropics, where plants ‘ohi‘a and sandalwood forests and claim tropical forest. The territory and animals that found their way lay the groundwork for a National of Puerto Rico can. Puerto Rico to Hawaii evolved like nowhere Forest designation. can also claim a National Forest but else.” The legislation follows Hawaii cannot. “Hawaii’s forests are critical a measure that the two Hawaii’s two congressional parts of our island ecosystems,” representatives introduced in April representatives, Ed Case and said Gabbard. “Our forests protect calling on the U.S. Department Tulsi Gabbard, would like to see us from runoff, recharge our of Interior to pursue another first that change, so they introduced aquifers, provide habitat for native for the state: the designation of H.R. 7045 in May. If enacted, the species. ... We must explore every a National Heritage Area. Both bill would direct the Secretary of avenue to protect them.” say Ka‘ena Point, Oahu, is the Agriculture to conduct a study to The two members of Congress perfect candidate for Hawaii’s first identify Hawaiian lands that could are promoting the legislation as National Heritage Area, which be included in a National Forest. a step toward protecting Hawaii’s would make it a natural candidate “Hawaii is the most isolated 10,000 plant and animal species, for inclusion in Hawaii’s first island chain and one of the most which have lost almost half of National Forest. ecologically diverse places in the their native forest ecosystems. The tropical forest of the Na Pali Coast world,” said Case. “Within our The Hawaii representatives say is part of a state wilderness park on the constrained borders, we have 10 their legislation is needed to help island of Kauai, but none of Hawaii’s forests are protected as National Forests of the 13 world climate zones and determine how best to conserve (Adobe Stock). ecosystems ranging from the and expand Hawaii’s native kōa,

COVID crowds on Public Lands

Forest Service officials across waste. Officials also cited a lack of the country are reporting negative physical distancing, and with the impacts from increased visitation closure set to expire July 31, Forest linked to COVID-19 as people flock Supervisor Kevin Elliott extended to public lands. the closure through Sept. 30. In California, Los Padres Lawrence Lujan, press officer National Forest officials closed for the U.S. Forest Service Rocky Santa Paula Canyon trails and Mountain Region, reported campgrounds in response to similar problems in Colorado’s crowds, parking issues, graffiti, National Forests. “People aren’t litter, toilet paper and other human taking their trash with them, they’re not obeying the pack-it-in/ plants. In addition to trash and director for the Leave No Trace pack-it-out principle. Where there sanitation issues, National Forests Center for Outdoor Ethics. are dumpsters, they are filling are experiencing overcrowding, “Much of the impact we see in the quite quickly. People are going into increased user conflicts, and illegal outdoors can be categorized as crowded parking lots, trying to or abandoned campfires. people who are either unskilled, park off-road on the grass, which is “We’re finding that there are a uninformed or under-informed,” troublesome. Your undercarriage lot of first-time forest public-lands Lawhon said. “Or they are just could light the grass on fire if it’s a visitors,” Lujan said. “We’ve been careless.” hot, dry day.” experiencing these recreation “We know our natural places Lujan said visitors have pressures for quite some time. Now are important, now more than been dumping trash into vault they’ve skyrocketed because of the ever,” Lujan said. “We welcome toilets, which interferes with number of people who are visiting.” people to come to our national processing the waste when it “It’s certainly a national issue,” forests and grasslands.” is hauled to sewage treatment said Ben Lawhon, education Pristine Alaskan Lands Under Threat

The Bureau of Land Society, and Winter Wildlands resources of the region.” Management and Army Corps Alliance joined the lawsuit. Alex Johnson, Alaska program of Engineers recently approved a The affected area provides manager for the National Parks private, 211-mile industrial road important habitat for salmon Conservation Association, said, through a portion of Gates of the and a critical migration corridor “Amid a global pandemic and Arctic National Park in Alaska. The for Alaska’s largest caribou herd. economic crisis, the Trump road will cross Native American The court filing challenging the administration has fast-tracked lands and pristine rivers and decision indicates the road would planning and disregarded the streams to facilitate mining in the cross approximately 2,900 streams severe impacts that this billion- Ambler District on the southern and 11 major rivers, including the dollar private industrial mining slopes of Alaska’s Brooks Range. Wild and Scenic Kobuk River, and road will have on national The road project also includes would destroy over 2,000 acres of parklands, Alaska Native timber sales, a fiber-optic cable, wetlands. communities and one of our 12 communications towers, five The lawsuit charges that the planet’s last ecologically intact temporary construction camps, federal agencies “failed to comply landscapes.” 1,800 acres of “materials sites” with numerous federal statutes and The Ambler Road, with its airstrips and (gravel pits), and four permanent regulations that impose important industrial traffic, will adversely affect maintenance camps with protections for the lands, wildlife, the migration corridor for Alaska’s largest caribou herd (Dean Biggins, airstrips. Both the permanent and communities, and aquatic U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service). temporary camps will include housing, generators, fuel tanks, and water and sewer systems. The National Parks Conservation Association filed a lawsuit challenging the decision. The Northern Alaska Environmental Center, the Alaska Wildlife Alliance, the Center for Biological Diversity, Earthworks, the National Audubon Society, the Sierra Club, The Wilderness

10 | Forest News - Fall 2020 Book Reviews by Andy Stahl, Executive Director, Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics here must be something in the water. Oregon’s ‘Black Woman in Green’ Siuslaw National Forest has spawned two From its first pages, Gloria memoirs as rich and varied as its storied T Brown’s “Black Woman in Green” salmon. The authors’ lenses could not be more (co-authored with Donna Sinclair) different. Gloria Brown became the nation’s first hits readers in the gut. Losing black woman forest supervisor, and Jim Furnish is her virginity to a childhood gang a traditionally-trained timber beast whose story rape. Mother of three widowed at age 30 by a drunk driver. Brown’s parallels an agency-wide environmental epiphany. Yet, darker skin presumes her lesser stewardship of the public’s forests unites these two very status in white America; it also personal stories. pushes her down Black America’s finely calibrated racial scale. She learns to survive, which proves an ‘Toward a Natural Forest’ essential skill when, motivated by Furnish’s “Toward the need to provide financially for a Natural Forest” is a her children, she adopts a second conversion memoir family — the white male Forest — of his own views Service of the late 20th century. toward nature and of Brown’s Forest Service the complementary story begins as a below- reformation of an stairs GS-4 public information clerk in the agency’s D.C. intransigent Forest headquarters. “Invisible” to the political royalty around her, Service bureaucracy. she eavesdrops on their conversations to learn about far- off lands in Montana and Oregon: “Although I had been with Furnish began his career the Forest Service for nearly ten years, I had never been in a in the traditional fashion, national forest.” Hers is an upside-down career ladder. She as a youngster learning learns first the art of DC’s sharp-knife politics, then moves outdoor skills from his down the organizational food chain to regional offices and, geologist father, and then ultimately, becomes supervisor of two national forests. as a forester trained in Race is omnipresent. Being black in the white West frames the science of managing Brown’s every day. From overt racial taunting by passers-by to trees as crops. Along the grocery clerk’s stares at checkout. For Brown’s children, the way, however, he it is worse, as racism exposes itself through bullying and the has an epiphany. When high-elevation clearcuts in Wyoming’s indifferent hostility of Missoula public school officials. Bighorn National Forest fail to regenerate, despite repeated and Brown’s escape from Missoula to the Portland regional expensive reforestation attempts, Furnish begins to wonder office drops her into the pan where northern spotted owls whether the Forest Service’s timber enterprise is sustainable. are being fried. Her job includes telling office leadership In the 1990s, Furnish arrives mid-career as supervisor of the that the public demands environmental change, a message Siuslaw National Forest, where lawsuits over landslides, owls that does not sit well. Moving to the timber-leading and salmon have blockaded industrial-style logging. Furnish Willamette National Forest redoubles the dissonance needs to chart a new course. With support from his elite staff, as she responds deftly to an outspoken colleague who founds the revolutionary employees’ group FSEEE. he pioneers new policies on decommissioning logging roads, using second-growth thinning receipts to restore streams, Starting with an undergraduate degree in journalism and sharing Forest Service authority with local conservation (Brown returned to school mid-career to earn her forestry partners whom he empowers to do the on-the-ground work. cred), she is regarded with suspicion by the agency’s natural resource-trained workforce. Local timber-dominated His Siuslaw renaissance earns him a dramatic (and internally political machines also view her skeptically. I saw those controversial) promotion to deputy chief of the National consequences first-hand when her forward-looking stances Forest system. There, Furnish shepherds into law a federal as Siuslaw supervisor earned her a quick ticket out of town regulation protecting roadless areas and helps to put an end to an urban (i.e., “POC”) National Forest promotion she was to old-growth forest clearcut logging (except in Alaska). told she couldn’t turn down and from which she retired.

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Take Action

Mount Adams Wilderness, Washington (Josemaria Toscano).

Please call both of your U.S. Senators today and urge them • Wilderness areas protect our sources of clean water. to support the Protecting America’s Wilderness Act, HR • Wilderness sequesters carbon and protects 2546, which the House of Representatives has passed. against the effects of climate change. This bill would add vital protections to old-growth forests and other special places at a time when longstanding • Wilderness promotes biodiversity. environmental safeguards are being rolled back. • Wilderness reminds us that humans rely When contacting your senators, first tell them who you on the natural world for survival. are and, “I support HR 2546 — the Protecting America’s Wilderness Act.” Mention two or three reasons why If you have a personal story that illustrates the value of protecting wilderness is important. Examples include: wilderness, please also share it with your senators.

The Congressional switchboard phone number is 202-224-3121, and it can connect you to your senators’ offices. Thank you for helping us preserve our natural treasures!