Speaker explains importance of old growth Issue goes beyond owls By Greg Hough Emerald Reporter Saving old growth forests in Oregon is an issue that goes far txiyond whether to protect the habitat of the endangered spot ted owl, a National Audubon Society project director said Tuesday In Eugene. |ohn Talberth. who directs the Western Oregon office of the society's new "Adopt-A Forest" program, spoke during a meeting of the lime County Audubon Society, which drew a crowd of ulMiut 50 at the Eu gene Garden Club Talberth said economic re structuring of the timlxT indus try is needed to insure that the ecological value of old growth forestation is not lost. "1 think it was important that the effort to save the spotted owl drew attention to old growth," Talberth said. "Hut I think the media has portrayed a lopsided view of the spotted owl issue. A sustainable forest is what we need, not just a suit able home for the spotted owl." Talberth said the state's old growth timber forestation, sus taining ecosystems as old as 1.5 million years, is "irreplaceable forest lanil, found nowhere else on the planet." "There are over 200 verte brate species that depend on old growth forest or use old growth forest,” Talberth said. "And they depend on unique structural characteristics of the forest, which include downed logs and live, large trees "What we've done is basical ly cut down the natural forests, and replaced them with forests that are managed on a short ro tation. anywhere from HO to 300 years old But unless (the timber) goes beyond 300 years old it doesn't get the kind of structural characteristics that are important to these 200 spe cies." Talberth said Talberth also spoke of the "bioeconomic values" of old growth forestation in the area "We're replacing diverse, de centralized production of tim ber with rural communities that are experiencing high rates of unemployment, crime and al coholism." Talberth said "Part of the reason is some of the values that old growth for ests and landscape provide to these communities are also be ing decreased, in terms of envi ronmental quality, in terms of amenity values and scenic val ues," he said “You see proper ty values go down after timber is harvested on natural forest land." Talberth explained that "Adopt-A-Forest." which be gan last year, is a four-point program advocating further for est mapping and planning, in addition to "economic transi tion" within the timber indus try. "What really needs to hap pen is that we need to get an idea of what (tim!>er is) 6(H) to 1000 years old. what's :t50 to 600 years, what’s 200 to 350," Talberth said “Only then can we have a real good basis of planning." Tali*Tth said the society is working with the U.S Forest Service to map the area's old growth forestation, and has fin ished the Rogue National For est and much of the Willamette National Forest Still to be done is "phase two” of the Willam ette forest mapping, as well as surveying the Ml. Hood Nation al Forest, he added. "We're constantly monitor ing timber sales and forestry decisions that are coming out. putting them on a computer data base, trying to review and Put time on your side with a Macintosh personal computer. No more all-night rewrite sessions. No more searching through unorganized notes. No more waiting in line at the computer lab. Save time for other things - like more sleep. Time is running out. visit us today. Microcomputer Support Lab Room 202 Computing Center Monday-Friday 9am-5pm 686-4402 Special pricing available only to eligible students, faculty and staff of the University of Oregon '11 to |X)\ver to lie your licst.« address as many of them as possible." Talberth said. "Be cause if we don't file some type of input in the early stages of timber planning, it makes it all the more difficult to stop an old growth timber sale down the line." Talberth said the program is seeking volunteer help to work with the Forest Service in an “adopted" forest such as the Willamette Activities range from reviewing maps and re ports in the USFS offices to ac tually taking inventory of trees in the forest. Jie added. Talberth handed those in at tendance copies of a diagram outlining the "Economic Val ues of Old Growth Forests in Partially logged Watersheds." The diagram included benefits such "dispersed recreation." "fire buffering," "ecological research." and "regulation of stream flow." John Talberth Donations Continued from Page 1 "We were mover! that they (the students) would risk their lives in demanding a democracy." Mu said. "We felt very strongly that we should do something to support them. although whatever we do will be mi nor compared to them." The donation was sent di rectly to their classmate to avoid government red tape. It will be used for indepen dent publications, flyers, and to aid the hunger strik ers. he said. "The money Is not what really matters.” Mu said. "It's the moral support." Mu said some students wore reluctant to show their support for the Beijing dem onstrators because they were unsure of what was happen ing in China. But many were angered when the govern ment ordered troops into Tiananman Square and claimed that the peaceful demonstrations were riots, he added. On May 17, the University Chinese Student Association issued a statement to the Chinese government in sup port of the student move ment. The statement also en couraged communication between the students and the government. "The basic demand of the students is very simple: we just want to talk to the gov ernment," Mu said. Mu said he is optimistic that there will eventually be democratic reform in China. "You have to do as much as you can and see what will happen instead of sitting there trying to figure out if the effort is worthwhile,” Mu said. Although he said under stands that the U.S. govern ment has to be cautious in these matters. Mu said he was disappointed that the American government is not sending a clearer message about the inappropriateness of using force to China. Anyone interested in mak ing a donation to the group’s efforts should contact Xingdong Mu at 686-4758. The Saga Continues WEDNESDAY NIGHT at TRACK TOWN PIZZA (irl