The extinction of salmon hits Cascadians in the gut, economically, culturally and spiritually. Rising regional concern over salmon joined with a renewing forest movement creates a powerful stream in this watershed moment in Cascadia. Forest activists will continue to dispute controversial timber operations site by site. But they are also moving to a larger and more long-term concept. A newly energized forest movement is poised to press an agenda of deep reform, a visionary forest program focused on the health and restoration of watersheds.
Many activists envision an end to commercial logging in public forests.
Only 12 percent of U.S. timber supply comes from National Forests. Redirected to an urgently needed effort to restore forest and river ecosystems, that money could put tens of thousands to work. Unfair competition from the subsidized public lands logging reduces the incentive of private forest owners to manage their land responsibly. Recreation, hunting and fishing in national forests contribute over 37 times more income to the nation's economy, and create over 32 times more jobs, than National Forest logging. More than any other human activity, logging has increased the risk and severity of fires by removing the cooling shade of trees and leaving flammable debris.