Letter from Auburn

December 5, 2001

Friends,

I have just received reliable information that Monongahela National Forest has received orders to triple timber harvest. They are currently producing about 7 million board feet/yr, but orders from Eastern Region headquarters are to up it to 20 million/yr. This will destroy any real attempts to preserve or enhance biodiversity on the forest and the rate of harvest is way beyond the ability of their biologists to assess the results. None of the sales can be adequately assessed. This really sets back the practices to pre-1980 conditions or worse. I have not yet been able to determine whether other Nat Forests in the eastern region have received similar orders, but am trying to find out.

Please pass this on to others who should be aware of the problem.

Kind regards to all.

George Folkerts

Department of Biological Sciences
Auburn University