Vol 29 #3 - Winter 2002

Newsletter of the Oregon Natural Resources Council

Fall 2002

ONRC

Wild Oregon

Volume 29, No. 3

Inside: Logging Old-Growth Forests in the Name of Fire Prevention Salmon Tragedy in the Klamath Basin Wilderness Conference & Wilderness Week Photos

By Regna Merritt rm@onrc.org

To aggressively protect and restore Oregon’s wild lands, wildlife and waters as an enduring legacy.

MAIN OFFICE 5825 N. Greeley Avenue Portland, OR 97217 phone: 503.283.6343 fax: 503.283.0756 24-hour Action Line, ext. 403 info@onrc.org www.onrc.org Executive Director........................ Regna Merritt x Conservation Director........................... Jay Ward x Director of Finance & Admin............. Jacki Richey x Development Director..................... David Wilkins x Wilderness Campaign Director............. Susan Ash x Web Site/Info. Systems Mgr..... Sumner Robinson x Grassroots Coordinator..................... Alex Brown x Adopt-a-Wilderness/GIS ............. Erik Fernandez x Volunteer Coordinator.................... Joy Prideaux x Membership Assistant....................... Brad Aaron x Executive Assistant.................... Nanci Champlin x Office Administrator......................... Erin Fagley x The email address for each ONRC staff member: initials@onrc.org (for example: rm@onrc.org)

214 210 219 223 212 221 224 202 211 213 203 200

WESTERN FIELD OFFICE Mailing Address: P.O. Box 11648, Eugene, OR 97440 Street Address: 454 Willamette, Suite 203 phone: 541.344.0675 fax: 541.343.0996 Western OR Field Rep.................. Doug Heiken NW OR Field Rep......................... Jeremy Hall Conservation Administrator........ Leeanne Siart EASTERN FIELD OFFICE 16 NW Kansas, Bend, OR 97701 phone: 541.382.2616 fax: 541.385.3370 Eastern OR Field Rep..................... Tim Lillebo SOUTHERN FIELD OFFICE P.O. Box 8040 Brookings, OR 97415 phone: 541.783.2206 Southern OR Field Rep.............. Wendell Wood BOARD OFFICERS OF ONRC ACTION & ONRC FUND President- Pat Clancy Secretary/Treasurer- Jan Wilson BOARD MEMBERS Jim Baker Lauren Esserman Gary Guttormsen

Mike Helm* Mary Holmstrom Scott Lewis

Brian Maguire Julie Papavero Rand Schenck

Dear Friends, Fall is upon us. Some fires have subsided and others are burning. Roadless areas and old-growth forests in Oregon burned - but how hot? Aerial and ground surveys proceed, revealing significant information that will contribute to a reasoned discussion about forest protection and management. To that end, ONRC brings firefighters, scientists, economists, and conservationists together for the Oregon Wilderness Conference at Reed College on October 19th. Please join us there! (See page 11 for complete details.)

When Colorado forest fires burned, homes were lost and several firefighters (most en route to fires) were killed. Timber industry claims that conservationists were responsible for forest fires led to a series of administrative and congressional proposals which would jettison citizen input in forest management decisions and bar the courtroom door. With your help, we have staved off some proposals that would ultimately harm communities, roadless areas, old-growth forests and drinking water supplies.

ONRC continues to fight for a sensible policy and legislation to enhance protection for communities within the framework of existing environmental law. (See page 6.)

Further congressional attempts to log big trees and limit citizen oversight surfaced this week so we'll be calling on you for help once again. Thank you for your efforts!

As I write, over 30,000 salmon lie newly dead in the Klamath River. The Bush administration, allied with powerful upper basin irrigators, stacked committees, "spun" the science and cut water deliveries to the river by 25-30% this year.

It is shocking that wasteful irrigation practices, some of which led to costly road damage this summer, continue while chinook and coho salmon perish.

The repercussions from the Bush administration's new ten year Klamath Basin water policy are staggering. The Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge is bone dry as millions of waterfowl and hundreds of bald eagles are winging their way towards the Klamath Basin during their fall migration.

These are challenging times, to say the least. The arrival of Jay Ward, ONRC's new Conservation Director, could not come at a better time. (See page 10.) We welcome Jay and extend our thanks to Doug Heiken for his strong service as Acting Conservation Director during the past year! With your support, ONRC’s dedicated staff will continue to protect and defend the Oregon we love.

For the wild,

Sandy Lonsdale

ONR C’S MISSION:

E. Feryl/Environmental Images

From the Director

* Board member of ONRC Action only.

ONRC Fund is a tax-exempt, non-profit charitable organization.

ONRC Action is a tax-exempt, non-profit social welfare organization. Contributions to ONRC Fund are tax-deductible for those who itemize; contributions to ONRC Action are not. Staff are employees of ONRC Fund, which contracts with ONRC Action to carry out its activities. Portions of this newsletter are paid for by ONRC Action.

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Cover:

ONRC’s Tim Lillebo inspects a “Fuel Reduction Project” which logged old-growth giants in the Deschutes National Forest.

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Fall 2002

Conservation Director’s Report

By Jay Ward jw@onrc.org

Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire...

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t's been said that the best training you can get is the “on-thejob/sink or swim” kind. If this is true, I should be one of the besttrained conservationists in recent memory. After twelve years volunteering with ONRC, and six years as a board member, I believed I understood the scope and intensity of the ONRC staff ’s work. I was incorrect, to say the least.

My first four days as ONRC’s Conservation Director were spent on the Klamath River with Wendell Wood, our Southern Oregon Field Representative.

Between Wendell's descriptions of forest structure, water use and misuse, and local politics, I considered applying for some kind of continuing education credit. And that was before equally impressive meetings with our Klamath Coalition partners to review strategies for protecting and restoring the Klamath Basin ecosystem.

I was back in the Portland office for only a few days when the President came to Oregon to discuss his plan for logging… uh, I mean "saving" the forests from fire. At the same time, Senator Wyden unveiled a proposal to protect western Oregon old-growth forests, while boosting logging in old-growth forests east of the Cascades. Next came two other horrible legislative proposals claiming to "solve" the fire problem.

During the crisis, ONRC staff worked overtime, generating hundreds of phone calls and petitions ensuring that your voice was heard on Capitol Hill.

Through the recent onslaught of legislative and administrative attacks

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on our environment, ONRC's staff has acted and reacted with unsurpassed energy, strategic intelligence and unflagging enthusiasm in doing the work your membership supports.

In the coming months and years, I plan on putting my all into ONRC's work - protecting the wild places that make Oregon so remarkable. In doing so, I know I have the best partners anyone could ask for: ONRC staff and you, our members. I hope to be able to draw on your knowledge and experience to leverage all the organization's strengths to continue aggressively protecting and defending Oregon's wild lands, wildlife, and waters.

“ONRC’s staff has acted and reacted with unsurpassed energy, strategic intelligence and unflagging enthusiasm in doing the work your membership supports.”

-Jay Ward

I consider it a privilege to work for and with such dedicated people. I hope to be worthy of the trust you have placed in me.

For the earth, Jay Ward P.S. I hope to meet you all at ONRC’s annual Wilderness Conference coming up on Saturday, October 19th at Reed College in Portland! (See page 11 for details.)

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Gary Braasch

Sumner Robinson

Transferring from board to staff during a hot time for Oregon’s environment

Working for ONRC means protecting wilderness, old-growth forests, and wildlife - just another day on the job!

Fall 2002

Washington D.C. Update

Sandy Lonsdale

McInnis and Dubya and Craig- Oh My! Legislators seek to “log without laws” under the guise of fire prevention

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sing this season's forest fires as a backdrop, the Bush administration and several opportunistic politicians are proposing schemes that would overturn environmental protections, stifle citizens' democratic rights and turn the federal courts into powerless bystanders.

President Bush's "Healthy Forests Initiative" reads like a wish list for the timber industry. Under the guise of "streamlining" National Forest management laws, the Bush administration has proposed redefining the type of projects excluded from environmental analysis and review.

Under the guise of reducing the risk of fire, President Bush, Senator Craig, and Representatives Combest and McInnis are giving the timber industry unfettered access to the oldest, grandest trees left in our forests. growth forests to pay for fuel reduction projects.

It goes without saying that ONRC is opposed to any transfer of public

land management activities, especially ones masquerading as fire prevention projects, into private hands.

Rep. Larry Combest (R-TX) has introduced the administration's bill (HR 5376) into the House of Representatives.

Not to be outdone, Rep. Scott McInnis (R-CO) is working with Oregon’s Rep. DeFazio to pass another disastrous bill (HR 5319) out of the House Resources Committee.

McInnis's bill is so broadly written that it could open up more than two thirds of the nation's forests, including old growth and roadless areas, to so-called fuel reduction treatment.

McInnis's bill would also short circuit the appeals process, requiring a response within five days of an agency announcing a “fuel reduction project.”

Given the makeup of the House of Representatives, passage of the McInnis bill seems likely. Its defeat in the Senate is our best hope.

Categorical Exclusions (CEs) are used mostly for projects with little or no environmental impacts (i.e. moving a picnic table, pruning some small trees in a campground, etc.) Such projects are not required to undergo any environmental analysis. Broad issuance of CEs on all forests "susceptible to, or at risk of fire" would allow old-growth and roadless area logging in every forest east of the Cascades and most forests in southern Oregon!

Like a well-dressed version of the Eveready™ bunny, Senator Larry Craig (R-ID) just keeps on going, beating the administration's drum in the Senate. Not content with mugging the forests Furthermore, the adminisburned during 1995's fire tration is pushing a scheme season, he is greasing the that transfers management skids for a sequel to the of the national forests to infamous "logging without private timber companies laws" Salvage Rider that under ten year long decimated our most trea"Stewardship Contracts."

Private companies could These old-growth giants were felled during the 1995 Salvage sured old-growth forests.

And like most sequels, it's then log mature and old- Rider, which permitted “logging without laws.”

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Fall 2002

By Jay Ward jw@onrc.org “The debate currently raging in Congress - ostensibly over the issue of forest health is a prime example of how easily political sustainability can be sacrificed to the false hope of short term economic gain.” - Governor John Kitzhaber worse than the first.

Wendell Wood

Chairman of the Natural Resources Under the guise of Committee, he reducing the risk of wields extraordinary fire, President Bush, influence in the Senator Craig, and Senate. Now more Re presentatives than ever, we need Combest and McSenator Wyden to Innis are working to stand firm and give the timber support our nation's industry unfettered environmental laws access to the oldest, and democratic grandest, and most processes. In 1996 fire resistant trees and in 1999 he stuck left in our forests. to his principles and helped derail enviUnder the Bush and ronmentally damagCraig proposals, ing and democratiif logging corporacally dubious efforts tions or agencies Even trees on the Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge are proposed for logging stating "I believe are violating envi- under the name of fuel reduction. Visit www.onrc.org/alerts/127.lognwr.html to view important environronmental laws, the photos of recent logging and proposed logging plans for the Refuge. mental legislation courts can't stop them. While these Service is currently executing a deserves the full consideration of proposals would allow judges to hear model fuel reduction project near the Congress. Consequently, I have the case, examine the evidence and town of Chiloquin under existing always strongly opposed anti-environrule, courts would be entirely barred rules. Thinning like this can be mental riders." from actually enforcing the law. accomplished quickly, efficiently and Any ruling would land in a field without gutting our nation's most It is vital that he use his clout to important environmental safeguards. defend environmental laws, our of stumps.

House bill (HR 5358), co-sponsored forests and the communities most at President Bush and Senator Craig's by Rep. Blumenauer, is encouraging risk from fire. Especially now. proposals simply take the "public" because it focuses funding in the WHAT YOU CAN DO: out of “public lands.” While conser- most threatened areas while mainvationists, scientists and industry taining environmental laws and 1) Call your Senators! agree there is plenty of thinning and citizens' rights to participate in manSenator Wyden: (202)224-5244 brush clearing to be done, legislative agement decisions on public lands.

Senator Smith: (202)224-3753 “riders” which thwart civic participaTell them to support a common sense tion and judicial oversight would Under the Bush and fire policy that protects the people and be undemocratic and ecologically Craig proposals, if property most at risk. Urge them to disastrous. logging corporations oppose any legislation that would: or agencies are violating - weaken existing environmental laws; The most cost-effective way to environmental laws, the - curtail public participation in manageprevent damaging forest fires is to courts can't stop them. ment decisions on public land; or allocate funds to protect the areas - increase logging in our roadless and most at risk - the homes and commu- It isn't over yet. Oregon's Senator old-growth forests. nities that lie adjacent to, or within Ron Wyden has, to date, opposed the National Forests. The Forest the Bush/Craig “riders.” As

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Fall 2002

Fire Policy

By Tim Lillebo tl@onrc.org

Effective Fire Management Requires a Balanced Approach

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t is important to know where ONRC and Oregon's conservation community stand when it comes to forest fires.

We are for a public fire policy that aggressively fights fires that threaten homes and communities and reduces future fire risk through thinning small trees and setting carefully controlled underburns to reduce fuels on the forest floor.

While some logging companies and politicians claim we need to "streamline" environmental laws to protect forests from fire, this is simply not the case. We do not need to suspend environmental protections to reduce fire risk to our communities. A balanced approach is possible under existing law. For example, there are many fuel reduction projects that the conservation community supports, including:

conservation community shows that good fuel reduction projects can move forward smoothly with citizen oversight and environmental laws in place.

We do not need to suspend environmental protections to reduce fire risk to our communities.

ONRC and Oregon's conservation community have worked proactively on fire policy issues for several decades. We have toured fire-prone forests with Governor Kitzhaber, Senator Smith, Senator Wyden and Forest Service officials to share ideas with them about effective fire man-

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In the end, we believe that it is possible to agree on a fire policy that follows ecological safeguards, makes forests healthier and helps protect our communities and homes from the risk of forest fires.

Come learn about the science, politics and emerging legislation surrounding the 2002 fire season! Join us in Portland on October 19th for the Oregon Wilderness Conference. See page 11 for details.

b

Project, Deschutes National Forest; q The Ashland Municipal Watershed Protection Project, Rogue River National Forest; and q The Chiloquin Fuels Reduction Project, Winema National Forest.

The fact that these projects are proceeding with the full support of the

ONRC will continue to work with the Forest Service, policy makers and the people of Oregon to ensure that a balanced, common sense fire policy is applied to the magnificent forests and communities of our state.

Protects communities: We need a common sense approach that focuses on areas that need the most attention, namely forested areas near homes and communities.

q The Highway 20 Fuels Reduction

These projects use various combinations of prescribed fire, manual and mechanical cutting of small diameter trees, and piling and burning of some vegetation in firesuppressed forests. These projects are also in areas of high concern, near communities and established roadways where people and homes could be put at risk of forest fires.

agement policies in Oregon's forests.

ONRC supports a fire policy that:

b

Protects forests: We can produce healthier forests by thinning out the small trees and brush that fuel fires and leaving the bigger, fire-resistant trees intact.

b Protects ecological safe-

guards: We need a balanced approach that helps protect people and homes while maintaining ecological safeguards that keep our forests healthy and drinking water sources protected.

Sandy Lonsdale

ONRC file photo

ONRC supports a policy that protects communities, forests and ecological safeguards

Controlled burns reduce fuels on the forest floor while leaving the fire resistant trees intact.

•6•

Visit www.onrc.org/info/fire/ for more fire-related documents and press.

Fall 2002

Klamath Update

By Wendell Wood ww@onrc.org

Administration’s Plan Spells Disaster for Fish & Wildlife ONRC file photo

Waterfowl migrating to the Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge also face peril

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n late September on the Klamath River, one of the largest salmon kills in U.S. history occurred.

Tens of thousands of chinook and many coho salmon lay dead and dying in the river.

Since the Bush administration wanted to supply Upper Klamath Basin irrigators with more than enough water, September flows in the Klamath River were reduced to 25% below what was More than 30,000 Klamath River salmon recently died in one of the largest salmon kills in U.S. history. provided to the river Low water flows mandated by the Bush administration are suspected of producing conditions lethal to fish. This die-off has significantly harmed downstream tribal, fishing and recreational communities. during last year's that the fish don't need water. out of balance. This is due to politics, extreme drought. With more fish pure and simple. returning to the river this fall than in many previous years, there simply Refuges also left high and dry wasn't enough water to sustain the To add insult to injury, the Bush The Bush administration must estabrun. The result has been devastating administration's water policy for the lish balance in its management of to northern California's and southern Klamath Basin has left Upper the Klamath River Basin. Sufficient Oregon's coastal recreation, tourism Klamath National Wildlife Refuge's water must be provided year-round (NWR) 14,000 acres totally dry. to the Lower Klamath River to and fishing economies. support recovery of salmon populaAll of the wetlands surrounding tions. Water must be also be provided Irrigators waste water on roads According to August reports from Upper Klamath Lake are presently to the National Wildlife Refuges in the Oregon Department of Trans- without water. Lower Klamath NWR the Upper Basin for waterfowl, bald portation (ODOT), irrigators flooded has received only about one-half of eagles, and other wildlife to thrive. their fields and watered asphalt so the water needed to support waterfowl during the fall migration. Lower In September, ONRC joined commuch that ODOT asked them to move sprinklers because water was Klamath NWR has similarly suffered mercial fisherman and U.S. Rep. during six out of the last 11 years.

Thompson (D-CA) in litigation to damaging a road. ensure the survival of Klamath River Meanwhile, tribes and commercial All marsh wildlife, including bald coho, listed under the Endangered fishermen in the lower river were eagles that rely on waterfowl as their Species Act. We also continue to watching salmon die, and seeing their principal winter food source, could work with farmers willing to sell their livelihoods go with the fish. Many ultimately be adversely impacted as land in order to make more water available to fish and wildlife. have charged that the action taken by effective habitat is lost. the Bush administration is extinction by design. The administration has This historic fish kill and our dry Learn more at twisted the best available science to wildlife refuges demonstrate that the www.onrc.org/programs/klamath.html come to the preposterous conclusion Klamath River ecosystem is grossly

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Fall 2002

Old-Growth Campaign Update

By Doug Heiken, dh@onrc.org

Bill would sacrifice eastern Oregon forests and limit public input

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n January, we were protecting homes, lives heartened to learn of and property from Senator Wyden’s unnaturally large wildintent to protect oldfires and restoring naturgrowth forests. Then, in al fire regimes in nationAugust, we were disapal forests east of the pointed to learn that, in Cascades. But they working with loggingindicated that the bill’s friendly Senator Larry authorization for fastCraig (R-ID), Wyden tracking timber and advanced a poor proposal salvage sales east of the that failed to protect Cascades would be some westside old-growth counter-productive. forests, would increase logging of old-growth ONRC has documented east of the Cascades and Senator Wyden's old-growth proposal would allow for increased logging so-called “fuels reducin Idaho, and would limit in old-growth forests in eastern Oregon, eastern Washington and Idaho. tion projects” which public participation in remove large, fire-resisforest management, hampering our unequivocal opposition to the August tant trees and leave smaller, flammadraft of the Wyden/Craig Forest ble material behind. (See cover photo of ability to hold agencies accountable.

Restoration and Protection Act of logging in Deschutes National Forest.)

2002. Objections to the proposal The draft bill takes an focused on: ONRC shares Senator Wyden's unbalanced approach of concern for our precious forests and limited protection for 1) Lack of solid protection for will proceed with efforts that truly western old-growth forests mature and old-growth forests in protect mature/old-growth forests, western Oregon and Washington; roadless areas, clean water, and the and increased logging of 2) Fast-track logging in eastern legacy we leave to future generations. eastside forests.

Oregon, eastern Washington Learn more at www.onrc.org and Idaho; and The forest conservation community 3) Suspension of citizen on both sides of the Cascades is involvement and judicial united in opposition to this "divide review of logging plans. and conquer" approach to forest management. Shortly after meeting Many termed the bill's with Senator Wyden, conservation approach political, rather than scientific, forestry. organizations issued a statement of Conservation groups have long advocated for Larry Olson

Wendell Wood

Senator Wyden’s Old-Growth Proposal Stirs Controversy

WHAT YOU CAN DO: Call Senator Wyden at (503)326-7525 and ask him to provide real protection to mature/old-growth forests and roadless areas while retaining existing environmental safeguards east and west of the Cascades.

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Fall 2002

Oregon Wild Campaign Update

Oregonians Explore Unprotected Wilderness Areas Richard Van Pelt

More than 300 participants enjoy Wilderness Week events in July!

Alder Creek, Mount Hood National Forest

Steve Miller

Copper Salmon, Siskiyou National Forest

Tim Lillebo

David Mildrexler

Joseph Vaile

Joy Prideaux

Siskiyou Crest, Siskiyou National Forest

Big Bottom, Mount Hood National Forest

Murderers Creek, Malheur National Forest

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Fall 2002

By Jacki Richey jr@onrc.org

People & Places

Welcome New Conservation Director Jay Ward

J

to ONRC for over two years while serving on the Finance Committee.

Jay studied forestry and business and has a BS in speech communications from Oregon State University.

Most recently, he was a Field Representative for Birkenstock U.S. and traveled extensively throughout the West. Jay, his wife Tina, and seven-year-old son Connor live in southwest Portland.

Jay’s skills will enhance ONRC relationships with the media, the

Sigrid Weidenweber, steadfast member since 1991, served our Development Committee since early 2000. She led our Green Building Campaign, now near completion, making it possible for us to “walk our talk” while keeping Oregon wild. Many thanks for your strong contributions, Dan and Sigrid!

Sumner Robinson

ay Ward became ONRC’s Conservation Director in August, 2002. A longtime activist and ONRC board member for six years, he has worked on land use, log exports, and U.S. Forest Service management for over a decade.

ONRC’s new Conservation Director Jay Ward addresses the crowd at ONRC’s annual picnic in August.

business community, federal agencies, and our elected officials.

Welcome Jay! Farewell to Dan and Sigrid This month we bid two ONRC board members a fond farewell. Dan Kent provided oversight and sound advice

Good luck Rhonda!

Rhonda Robb worked in ONRC’s Portland office for two years, keeping our database and membership records in top form. She is now engaged in an innovative study of medical geography at PSU. Thank you Rhonda. We will miss you!

Meet All Star Volunteer Robinson Foster

ONRC’s accounting intern proves he’s not just another statistic

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obinson Foster did not want to be just another statistic, just another person laid off due to the economic downturn. He wanted to further his career in order to "make a professional contribution to environmentally sustainable economic activity."

So Robinson, friend of board member Lauren Esserman, took Lauren's advice and applied to Portland State University's MBA program.

Sumner Robinson

Jeremy Hall

Enhanced communications will boost ONRC’s effectiveness

In addition, Robinson offered to do an internship at ONRC to learn the business side of an effective nonprofit organization.

He brought with him a B.A. in geography and extensive experience in transportation management, policy research, and photography. As an ONRC intern in finance and administration, he learned non-profit accounting, sharpened his computer skills, and assisted with various accounting activities and special projects.

He will be sorely missed when he attends graduate school full-time in the fall. Thanks Robinson!

Contact Joy Prideaux to learn about volunteer opportunities with ONRC: 503-283-6343 ext. 211 or jp@onrc.org.

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Fall 2002

Join ONRC and Oregon’s Conservation Leaders for the 2002 Oregon Wilderness Conference

Beyond the Smoke-: Rekindling the Fight for regon Wilderness

o

OCTOBER 19TH, 2002 REED COLLEGE, PORTLAND 8:30

REGISTRATION

9:00

WELCOME Regna Merritt, Executive Director, ONRC and Jay Ward, Conservation Director, ONRC Introduction of Congressional staff: Susan Ash, Oregon Wild Campaign Director

9:15

PANEL DISCUSSIONS: The Politics of Protection - Legislative Opportunities and Threats Explore the state of Wilderness and old-growth protection in the current political climate.

Moderator: Sybil Ackerman, Conservation Director, Audubon Society of Portland Panelists: Andy Kerr, The Larch Company; Jasmine Minbashian, Campaign Director, NW Old Growth Campaign; and Ken Rait, Campaigns Director, American Wilderness Campaign

10:30

Murry Taylor, Author of "Jumping Fire: A Smokejumper's Memoir of Fighting Wildfire in the West"

11:00

Smoke and Mirrors - Fire Science vs. Political Opportunism Learn the natural history of forest fires in Oregon and the impacts humans have on the landscape. Discuss how the conservation community is moving beyond the inflammatory rhetoric of the 2002 fire season.

Moderator: Susan Ash, Oregon Wild Campaign Director, ONRC Panelists: Dominick Della Salla, PhD, Ecologist, World Wildlife; Tim Ingalsbee, PhD, Western Fire Ecology Center; J. Boone Kauffman, PhD, Wildlife Biologist, Oregon State University

Noon

LUNCH

1:00

KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Congressman Earl Blumenauer

1:45

REVOLVING BREAKOUT SESSIONS: Oregon Wild 2002 and Beyond Join the Oregon Wilderness Coalition on a stunning visual tour of Oregon's unprotected wilderness areas.

Discuss the status of current proposals and explore prospects for future wilderness.

Moderator: Nat Parker, Wilderness Conservation Associate, OSPIRG Panelists: Sybil Ackerman, Conservation Director, Audubon Society of Portland; Susan Ash, Oregon Wild Campaign Director, ONRC; Maureen Kirk, Executive Director, OSPIRG; Penny Lind, Executive Director, Umpqua Watersheds; Sam Mace, Western Outreach Coordinator, Trout Unlimited; Joseph Vaile, Campaign Coordinator, Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center

After the Smoke has Cleared This analysis of Oregon's 2002 fire season will examine what burned, what didn’t, and why. Hear on-the-ground accounts of fire behavior and fire suppression activities and view GIS satellite images of the fires. Discussion will focus on the effects of the Biscuit fire on the Kalmiopsis Wilderness and adjacent roadless areas.

Moderator: Tim Lillebo, Eastern Field Representative, ONRC Panelists: Romain Cooper, Executive Director, Siskiyou Regional Education Project; Erik Fernandez, GIS and Adopt-A-Wilderness Coordinator, ONRC; Tom Atzet, PhD, Biologist, Rogue River National Forest (invited); Lou Gold, Siskiyou Regional Education Project; Murry Taylor, retired smokejumper

Uprooting the Status Quo: The New Forest Paradigm This scientific and economic analysis will explore the benefits associated with forest restoration and the costs of continued logging of Oregon’s mature and old-growth forests.

5:00

TURNING KNOWLEDGE INTO POWER: WHAT TO DO WITH WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED A call to action followed by a reception and drinks. Ed Hall, Portland Firefighter, Jay Ward, Conservation Director, ONRC.

6:00

DINNER

7:00

KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Secretary of State Bill Bradbury For directions please visit www.onrc.org or call (503) 283-6343 x 224

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Photo: Nanci Champlin

Moderator: Jeremy Hall, NW Field Representative, ONRC Panelists: Kristin Lee, Economist, EcoNorthwest; Doug Heiken, Western Field Representative, ONRC; Dave Perry, PhD, Regional Rep., Oregon Land Conservation & Development Dept. (invited); Jerry Franklin, PhD, University of Washington College of Forest Resources (invited)

Fall 2002

SEE YOU AT THE 2002 OREGON WILDERNESS CONFERENCE! Saturday, October 19th a Reed College, Portland See page 11 for complete details.

Check out Wild Oregon on the web: www.onrc.org ONRC FUND 5825 N. Greeley Ave. Portland, OR 97217

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