This flyer was distributed to the Senate and media during the week of February 16-20, 1998. The Facts are provided below.
Sierra Old Growth Still Being Logged
Large old growth trees are still being logged in California's Sierra Nevada mountain range, even though current Forest Service regulations intended to protect California spotted owl habitat prohibit the cutting of trees larger than 30" in diameter. This formerly live 72" diameter white fir tree on the Tahoe National Forests was "mistakenly" logged during a 1997 Forest Service timber sale. The official agency response to complaints by conservationists was, "We're only human." With its mandate to log nearly 70,000 acres annually, the Quincy logging bill is bound to accelerate the number of "mistakes" made in Forest Service timber sales.
The Facts According to the QLG
The stump pictured in this photograph is located on the Truckee Ranger District which is not a part of the Quincy Library Group area. This tree was harvested as a part of the Bullshead Salvage Sale which was developed under the Salvage Rider. While it may be true that Truckee District personnel claimed "Oops! We goofed!" in logging the 72 inch diameter white fir tree, the Bullshead scoping documents said from the beginning of that project that trees larger than 30 inches were going to be logged, under the Salvage Rider.
It should be noted that only a limited amount of old-growth was harvested from the Quincy Library Group influenced forests during the controversial Salvage Rider. These projects were generally road-side hazard tree removal, windthrow salvage or non-recent old-growth logging contracts.
As a matter of fact, because of its location within a sensitive watershed that is classified as offbase by the Quincy Library Group, the Barkley Salvage Sale was the first Rider sale to be withdrawn. See the Barkley page within this website to learn more.