PAOLI- Thanks to Gov. Braun’s leadership, the U.S. Forest Service has agreed to pause the largest logging plan ever proposed in Hoosier National Forest and has asked the Governor to create a delegation of citizens to meet with the Regional Forester to find a “zone of agreement.”
“We write this statement to express our gratitude to you for listening to the people of Orange County, Indiana, and fellow stakeholders in the Hoosier National Forest.
“Governor Braun, you have been listening to us to protect nature for years; as a senator, you listened, and now as governor, you continue to listen to your constituents. Thank you, Governor Braun, for contacting the US Forest Service on behalf of the people who live in and use these public forests for recreation and education.
“And thank you, Chief Schultz and Regional Director Dixon, for granting a pause in the plans to log and burn The Hoosier National Forest until you have taken the time to meet in person with a delegation of concerned citizens.
“We see a future in which we can protect the existing forests we have left.
“We call for a commercial logging ban of our publicly-owned forests, which will result in a stronger economy long-term. Our publicly-owned parks and forests are the playgrounds of today and tomorrow. We see a future filled with hikes, outdoor adventures, kayaking, camping, swimming, hunting and nature centers filled with knowledgeable staff.”
The Citizens Preferred Alternative plan asks forest leadership to:
- Protect the Hoosier National Forest from unnecessary logging, burns, and chemical treatment and use a site-specific, science-based approach to all areas.
- Ensure baseline data is collected for water and air quality; the US Geological Survey does not have a baseline for water quality levels in the Buffalo Springs project area.
- Compare the meager amount of revenue created from logging to the revenue in the booming eco-tourism market, where the U.S. can expect to see $224 billion in 2025 alone (Statista), and explore ways for Hoosiers to capitalize on the incredible natural resources we have already protected
- Invest in Hoosiers and our ingenuity. Make it easier for entrepreneurs who wish to embark on eco-tourism businesses to do so by small business loans and business coaching.
- Reforest and rewild Indiana and our country in order to combat climate change and to move the United States Ranking from #106 in forested areas to the #1 country for forested areas.
Signed,
Steven Stewart, Campaign Coordinator, Protect Our Woods
Robyn Skuya-Boss, Chapter Director, Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter
David Seastrom, Interim Director, Indiana Forest Alliance
