“An Ass and a Fox partnered, but when a Lion came, the Fox said he would lead the Ass to a pit for the Lion. Lion agreed. Fox did it. Lion killed Fox first.” – Aesop
Most of us have suffered some type of betrayal, a deep suffering inflicted by someone we trusted. Betrayal, like cancer, goes undetected for some time. At some point, the treachery is uncovered, breaking the trust.
Trouble in Butler Hollow
After nearly two years opposing commercial logging and prescribed burns for decades, it seems all our concerns were ignored. District Ranger Joe Koloski will make the final decision on the project. If Koloski decides to proceed, we will have an opportunity to appeal in court.
This is not all. A similar project was announced Sept. 16, 2016, for Siloam Springs, with an invitation for a public meeting. Koloski encourages any interested public to attend to discuss initial ideas for management of 14,446 acres. “Public input is highly valued by our District Management team, and we rely on forest users and neighbors to help us identify potential issues at these initial stages of project planning,” he said.
What is up with this? Is the U.S. economy in such a dire condition we need to sell the forests for export revenues?
Trouble for the Forests
Dr. Sam Davis of the Dogwood Alliance, on a recent article Mighty Trees, Warriors Against the Threat of Climate Change, explains how forests are our best hope for survival. “Forests are our number one defense against climate change. They’re cheap to grow and keep. The world’s forests absorb almost 40% of manmade carbon dioxide. So, all of our cars, and all of our planes, and all of our power facilities emitting carbon dioxide, 40% of that gets taken up by the world’s forests” Davis says.
Forests are fragile and unique ecosystems. A new USDA study shows severe weather is threatening forests and grasslands. Western forests suffering from extreme drought have insect infestations and wildfires. Southeast healthy wet forests are threatened by wood pellet mills exporting our trees to keep UK National Grid shareholders fat and happy.
“80 percent of wetland forests are gone, from the 1600s. Compared to dry forests, wetlands contribute about twice in endangered species protection, in wildlife habitat, in pollution treatment, and flood control, and water treatment. And they also provide significantly more carbon sequestration,” Davis says.
Arkansas is doing all it can to sell our forests. The Economic Development Commission (AEDC) used our taxes to lure Highland Pellets and Zilkha Biomass to Arkansas. U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman [R-AR] is once again sponsoring the Resilient National Forests Act, HR2647, in the Senate Agriculture Committee.
U.S. Senator John Boozman [R-AR], praised Westerman’s leadership. “This is a guy that’s working so hard for the forest industry in Arkansas and has made a big mark. The bottom line is, at the end of the day, forests will be healthy in Arkansas as a result of getting legislation like this passed,” Boozman said.
If the bill is approved, USFS would have absolute power to sell the trees and burn at will. Ranger Koloski would not need to invite the public to comment and pretend to care. Stumps don’t lie and smoke will tell.
I respectfully disagree with our Arkansas representatives. Resiliency has nothing to do with increasing forest product exports or sales of tracts in the Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana and the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest in Georgia.
More money, planes, helicopters, or logging won’t stop fires. Reducing CO2 emissions and keeping fossil fuels in the ground is the only solution.
Arson, ignorance, and carelessness are the most common causes of wildfires. Arsonists are repeat offenders, they are rarely found, and the penalties are light. With community participation, we can stop arson and preserve the forests and public health.
“I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I’ve bought a big bat. I’m all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!” – Dr. Seuss
Dr. Luis Contreras
Update: No news from Koloski – below is an email I sent USFS today, next, I will send them this op-ed
Dear USFS,
Forest fires, of any type, increase CO2 ppm and the frequency and severity of wildfires. Public health and Environmental justice are non-negotiable. The 2005 Forest Plan driving prescribed fires is not the solution to the new climate.
Please consider two recent events:
1. Oct 19, 2016. Kaibab National Forest, AZ. USFS prescribed fire out of control. USFS knew a wind shift overnight would send smoke toward I-40, but were surprised the fire did not dissipate as predicted. One semi-truck driver died. Many accidents closed I-40 for hours.
· “People that got stuck in the smoke with asthma had a really difficult time,” Cary Asel said. “It was so thick, you couldn’t see,” Asel said the prescribed burns near Parks were actually worse in 2015 because there were more of them. The smoke gets so bad, he said, that some people have to leave their homes every year until the prescribed burns end. “When it’s that thick, you can keep your windows closed but it still seeps into your house.”
· A retired meteorologist who lives in the area believes more precautions should have been taken. Parks resident Byron Peterson, who retired from National Weather Service station in Bellemont, said the smoke was already bad on Old Route 66 Tuesday afternoon. Firefighters waved him on, he said, even though there were times when he could not see 10 feet in front of him. “It was very frightening, to say the least,” Peterson said. He said strong southwest winds coming up over Bill Williams Mountain near Williams formed an eddy of swirling air that then dove down over the prescribed burn, keeping the smoke from dissipating. “I tried to explain that to people at the Forest Service and it was just like talking to a wall,” he said.
2. September 30, 2016, USFS Ochoco National Forest, OR: 333-acre prescribed burn got out of control when the wind changed. The 1,200-acre Wildfire included 150-acres of private property, with aggressive suppression tactics. By Oct 4, the wildfire was 38 percent contained.
Respectfully,
Dr. Luis Contreras
The USFS meetings are rigged/Your best bet is to join with others and protest often. One of their favorite tactics is either to not advertise the meeting or advertise it in the next county. Be sure to video tape the meeting and bring hard questions to record them dodging.
When I wrote this op-ed, betrayal seemed somewhat strong. After dealing this week with the new MTNF Supervisor and her legal team, I should have used a stronger word to describe what USFS is doing.
Shame on the whole bunch, it is hard to believe Koloski played us for nearly two years. Not only they ignored all our comments, they discarded anything they did not want to discuss.
There must be an Elephant, somewhere, in USFS-USDA. Big caca coming from the top.
Next, is another Koloski restoration project for Siloam Springs, on 14,644 acres. Here is the good part on the MTNF USFS website:
Meeting open to public interested in initial planning of forest management activities in the Siloam Springs area in Douglas and Howell Counties, Sep 13, 2016
“District Ranger Joe Koloski encourages any interested public to attend this meeting to discuss initial ideas for management of the area. Public input is highly valued by our District management team, and we rely on Forest users and neighbors to help us identify potential issues at these initial stages of project planning,” stated Ranger Koloski.”
Don’t waste your time with Koloski. Find an expert environmental attorney, that is what USFS understands.