[act-ma] Thursday Feb 11, 4:15 pm. Stop Commercial Logging in The Quabbin

[Tribal Scribal]

Eastern Mass Groups Call on Governor Patrick to Stop Commercial  
Logging in The Quabbin Reservoir Lands (Boston’s Drinking Water  
Supply) and Other State Public Forests

CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOGRAPHS OF CLEAR-CUTS IN THE QUABBIN AND OTHER  
STATE LANDS: www.maforests.org/QUABBIN.pdf , www.maforests.org

Stop Spewing Carbon and Massachusetts Forest & Park Friends Network  
will hold a press conference outside of the Taunton Public Library, 12  
Pleasant Street, at 4:15 pm on Thursday Feb 11th, immediately  
preceding the “Forest Future Vision” public forum, to be held by the  
Massachusetts Office of Dispute Resolution (MODR). A state sponsored  
“Forest Future Vision” process is currently underway due to widespread  
citizen protest over destructive clear-cutting and aggressive logging  
by private companies on public watershed lands, and in public parks  
and forests.  The groups strongly object to the proposed plan as the  
state review process did not consider watershed and wildlife areas in  
this “Forest Future Vision” process, does not ban clear-cuts, and  
continues to allow state lands to be logged for biomass plant fuel and  
timber.

Meg Sheehan of Cambridge, Chair of the Stop Spewing Carbon Campaign,  
says there is no reason to commercially log any of the state’s public  
lands.  According to Sheehan, “All of Massachusetts’ state public  
forests, watersheds and parks need full legal protection from  
commercial logging. The Massachusetts Association of Conservation  
Commissions and numerous other organizations support bans on clear- 
cutting and opposes use of forests for biomass incinerators. Biomass  
plants incinerate trees to make electricity – which the state wrongly  
classifies as “clean energy.” One 50 megawatt biomass power plant  
burns just over a ton of wood a minute. “This is a foolhardy  
exploitation of our forests under the pretense of producing so-called  
“clean energy,” said Sheehan.

The Massachusetts Forest and Park Friends Network asked the Department  
of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Stewardship Council to hold  
forestry forums back in March 2008, after receiving numerous  
complaints about forestry on state lands. "We want a true vision to  
emerge from this process, not a rehash of DCR's forestry practices and  
water supply lands should be included," said Sharl Heller, one of the  
Friends Network Facilitators.  "We are asking for 80% of our public  
forests to be put into permanent reserves. It's disturbing that the  
TSC is asking for 80% of our lands to used as woodlots for commercial  
and large-scale biomass extraction."

Massachusetts Forest Watch has released an expose showing aerial and  
ground level photos of clear-cutting and aggressive logging of  
watershed lands around the Quabbin Reservoir in central  
Massachusetts.  The law provides most of Greater Boston with its  
drinking water, and these lands are mandated by law to be protected.   
Forest clear-cutting and diesel trucks are being allowed in areas  
where even hiking is prohibited to protect the watershed. Photographs  
which show Quabbin clear-cuts nearly reaching down to the water’s edge  
can be viewed at www.maforests.org/QUABBIN.pdf

Other state forests and parks forests that have been subject to recent  
clear-cuts include Windsor Jambs, Savoy, Wendell, Federation of  
Women’s Club State Forests, and October Mountain.  “These are the  
crown jewels of our state forests and parks,” said Matera.  Sheehan  
added, “Generations of Massachusetts residents have enjoyed and  
treasured our forests and parks – Myles Standish, Freetown State  
Forest, and others – for their serenity and recreational value.  These  
state approved clear-cuts show that DCR is not protecting our forests  
and the public is sending a strong message that this must change.”

Massachusetts is the 3rd most densely populated state in the Union  
with 6,000,000 residents. State public forests, watersheds and parks  
comprise only 11% of Massachusetts land area and 17% of its forests  
and represent our best chance to preserve and protect wilderness  
areas, fish and wildlife habitat, clean water, clean air, tourism  
income, carbon sequestration, scenic beauty and recreational  
opportunities.

Stop Spewing Carbon and Massachusetts Forest & Park Friends Network  
invite citizens to join this press conference at 4:15 and attend the  
public forum at 5:00 p.m. inside the Taunton Public Library at 12  
Pleasant Street.

The groups also urge that written public comments regarding commercial  
logging on state public forests, watersheds and parks be sent by  
February 22, 2010 to the state care of: MODRDCRFFVP at umb.edu

  


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"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical world." 

                                                                                                                                                          
- Thomas Jefferson 

more rebellion here: 

http://concertobi.blogspot.com/ 

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