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YSS in the Press and Stories of Interest

Groups push for expedited Rim Fire logging

YSS in the Press and Stories of Interest

Excerpt from the article written by Alex MacLean, The Union Democrat, April 24, 2014 11:30 am

Local environmental organizations, the timber industry and others have joined forces to urge the Forest Service to approve fast removal of burned trees from the Rim Fire area. Yosemite Stanislaus Solutions, a coalition of environmental and logging groups, sent a letter to U.S. Forest Service Regional Forester Randy Moore on Tuesday, stressing the need for swift action to begin “salvage logging” projects on scorched parts of the Stanislaus National Forest.

“Unless speedy implementation is quickly allowed for whatever salvage logging is ultimately approved by the Forest Service, a tremendous amount of sawlog wood material will deteriorate past the point of having economic value,” the letter stated. “This would mean that the public would then need to pay in the future to have that fuel removed from the burn area.”

Delays could also lead to the build-up of flammable material that would create an “extremely high risk when future fires ignite,” the letter said.

Fast action is needed so that reforestation projects can begin. After removing the burned wood, the Forest Service can replant trees and restore habitats and watersheds.

For the complete story, see the April 24, 2014, edition of The Union Democrat.

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Diverse Interests Support Speedy Implementation Of Rim Fire Salvage Logging

YSS in the Press and Stories of Interest, YSS News

PRESS RELEASE
FOR RELEASE NOW – APRIL 22, 2014

Contacts:
Mike Albrecht, TuCARE (209) 984-1146 mikealbrecht@mlode.com
John Buckley, CSERC (209) 586-7440 jbuckley@cserc.org

Diverse Interests Support Speedy Implementation Of Rim Fire Salvage Logging

Background: In 2010, a variety of forest interest organizations and agencies formed a collaborative group called Yosemite Stanislaus Solutions (YSS) under the auspices of the U.S. Forest Service. In January of this year, YSS became an independent organization as representatives of the timber industry, environmental groups, business interests, local government, state and federal agencies, tribal organizations, and recreational interests created a charter, approved governance agreements, and elected officers for the collaborative. Over recent months, YSS has engaged in outreach — searching for grants and other funding to help implement highly needed restoration and fire recovery work within the massive 257,000-acre Rim Fire that burned so severely last summer.

The Key Action: On Friday, April 18, 2014, twenty-one members of YSS jointly approved a letter to U.S. Forest Service Regional Forester Randy Moore. The letter describes YSS members’ strong support for speedy implementation of Rim Fire salvage logging projects that are currently being planned on Stanislaus National Forest lands. In particular, the letter underscores the belief by those signing the YSS letter that any delays due to litigation or other reasons could jeopardize the multiple economic and environmental benefits that salvage logging treatments will yield.

At a time of often-divisive polarization and competing goals for resources, YSS is a visible example of many diverse interests focusing on areas of common agreement, rather than areas where members may hold differing views. The jointly supported position letter addressed to Regional Forester Moore is also being provided to federal politicians in order to emphasize YSS agreement that salvage logging, reforestation, and restoration projects need to be funded and to move forward expeditiously.

Mike Albrecht, YSS Chair stated, “We stand united in opposing any delay.” Vice-chair John Buckley agreed, “It is far more logical to have the industry remove dead trees with a return for taxpayers than to let the wood deteriorate so it loses saw-log value. In that case, taxpayers would end up having to pay huge amounts of money to remove the dead wood to reduce unsafe fuel levels. Delay makes no sense.”

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