Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 1981)
Coalition works to save forests By STEVE KNIGHT OlhEamU Mixing politics with back packing may be one way to de scribe the workings of the Oregon Wilderness Coalition OWC is a statewide environ mental organization dedicated to saving Oregon’s remaining virgin forests from the ax The group has more than 2.000 in dividual members and 75 member organizations from Coast Creek Wilderness Com mittee in Yachats to Strawberry Mountain Forever an environ mental group based in John Day Andy Kerr. OWC s associate director tor conservation says only a fraction of Oregon's publicly owned national forests ■ is set aside as wilderness An p ti-wilderness propaganda from the timber industry is one of the mam reasons why Oregon has less land protected in its natural state than any other western state, he says The (timber) industry would have us believe their very sur vival is dependent on logging every last acre,' Kerr says Currently. 95 percent of Oregon's harvestable forests is open to logging operations, white only 2 percent is protected as wilderness The remaining 2 percent lies at the heart of the battle between environmen talists and the timber industry, Kerr says "If the timber industry can't make it on 95 percent, it is highly doubtful they can make it on 98 percent." Kerr maintains Kerr also blames the Forest Service — the federal agency that administers the national forests — for the small percen tage of Oregon land set aside as wilderness 80 to 85 percent of the I Forest Service s budget goes to timber production,' he says But the fight for wilderness is more than a struggle by OWC to save old-growth forests for the aesthetic benefit of back packers, Kerr says Wilderness recreation is but '*< GRE PSYCH • GRE BIO • MAT GMAT • OAT • OCAT • PCAT VAT.SAT*ACT*CPA»TOEFL MSKP • NAT L MED BDS ECFMG • FLEX • VOE NOB ■ NPB I • NLE Stw&y-H KAPLAN educational center Test Preparation Specialuts Since ’.93* Gaitorla Room 402 —— 485-5699 — one of the goals of our organ ization,” he says "We are equally concerned about the other multiple uses wilderness provides such as clean water, wildlife habitat and anadromous fishenes ’ Current logging practices are silting up streams and destroy ing the habitats of many endan gered species. Kerr says If more wilderness isn't pre served he predicts "hundreds of miles of trails will be de stroyed and wildlife species such as elk spotted owls and native runs of salmon and steel head will' all be gone in the next 15 years " The OWC currently is lobby ing for an Oregon Wilderness bill that Kerr says he hopes will protect the remnant” low elevation old-growth forests in the western Cascades and Coast Range Much of the con gressionally designated wilder nesses in Oregon is located in steep mountainous terrain that the timber companies never wanted anyway , ” Kerr says However, he says that a wilderness bill at this time would encounter stiff opposition from the pro-business, anti-conser vationist" climate in Washing ton. DC Only a grassroots effort by the people of Oregon can save the remaining de facto wilderness areas in the state, he says Students can receive credit for doing volunteer work with the OWC staff by arrangement through the Survival Center, Kerr says For more information call 344-0675 Along with our typesetting service, we also do paste-up and photo work (screening photos, enlargements, reductions, toned screens and reversals). For more information, call 686-4381 or come up to the Production Department of the ODE on the third floor of the EMU. mgyiyRgMIgy^i. A new game store offering Boardgames, Backgammon, Chess, D & D, and Jigsaw Puzzles. 5th Street Public Market 296E.Rfth Street Eugene .Oregon 97401 yominm! :5/aneM Lingerie Boutique A complete collection of feminine...romantic... provocative.. underdressings, sleepwear, and leisurewear. Your favorite brands plus intriguing designer lingerie items that delight the eye and charm the heart... cotton knit camisole and bikini sets from Germany, or alluring bras, panties, garterbelts from France and from Brazil. Do come in and capture the essence of the feminine mystique at... " jvnm inv Lingerie Boutique Burch's Plaza • 99 IV. Broadway • Suite A Eugene • 4S4-4040 • 9. JO- 5:30 Mon Sat. • VISA • Master Card IVelcome • \0FREE GIFT IVRAP ^ ^ ^P ^p ^P ^P ^p ^P ^P ^P ^p m' ^P ^P ^p ^P ^P ^p ^p ^P ^P ^P ^P ^p ^P ^P ^P ^P ^P Rob Shirey 342-8483 • Highest Quality Vitamins • Wide selection off Ginseng roots & extracts • SPIRULINA • Bee Pollen • Negative Ion Generators FIFTHPEARL BLDG. Monday-Saturday (Across from 5th St. Market) 10 am-5:30 p.m.
