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<br><pre>Eastern Mass Groups Call on Governor Patrick to Stop Commercial <br>Logging in The Quabbin Reservoir Lands (Boston’s Drinking Water <br>Supply) and Other State Public Forests<br><br>CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOGRAPHS OF CLEAR-CUTS IN THE QUABBIN AND OTHER <br>STATE LANDS: www.maforests.org/QUABBIN.pdf , www.maforests.org<br><br>Stop Spewing Carbon and Massachusetts Forest & Park Friends Network <br>will hold a press conference outside of the Taunton Public Library, 12 <br>Pleasant Street, at 4:15 pm on Thursday Feb 11th, immediately <br>preceding the “Forest Future Vision” public forum, to be held by the <br>Massachusetts Office of Dispute Resolution (MODR). A state sponsored <br>“Forest Future Vision” process is currently underway due to widespread <br>citizen protest over destructive clear-cutting and aggressive logging <br>by private companies on public watershed lands, and in public parks <br>and forests. The groups strongly object to the proposed plan as the <br>state review process did not consider watershed and wildlife areas in <br>this “Forest Future Vision” process, does not ban clear-cuts, and <br>continues to allow state lands to be logged for biomass plant fuel and <br>timber.<br><br>Meg Sheehan of Cambridge, Chair of the Stop Spewing Carbon Campaign, <br>says there is no reason to commercially log any of the state’s public <br>lands. According to Sheehan, “All of Massachusetts’ state public <br>forests, watersheds and parks need full legal protection from <br>commercial logging. The Massachusetts Association of Conservation <br>Commissions and numerous other organizations support bans on clear- <br>cutting and opposes use of forests for biomass incinerators. Biomass <br>plants incinerate trees to make electricity – which the state wrongly <br>classifies as “clean energy.” One 50 megawatt biomass power plant <br>burns just over a ton of wood a minute. “This is a foolhardy <br>exploitation of our forests under the pretense of producing so-called <br>“clean energy,” said Sheehan.<br><br>The Massachusetts Forest and Park Friends Network asked the Department <br>of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Stewardship Council to hold <br>forestry forums back in March 2008, after receiving numerous <br>complaints about forestry on state lands. "We want a true vision to <br>emerge from this process, not a rehash of DCR's forestry practices and <br>water supply lands should be included," said Sharl Heller, one of the <br>Friends Network Facilitators. "We are asking for 80% of our public <br>forests to be put into permanent reserves. It's disturbing that the <br>TSC is asking for 80% of our lands to used as woodlots for commercial <br>and large-scale biomass extraction."<br><br>Massachusetts Forest Watch has released an expose showing aerial and <br>ground level photos of clear-cutting and aggressive logging of <br>watershed lands around the Quabbin Reservoir in central <br>Massachusetts. The law provides most of Greater Boston with its <br>drinking water, and these lands are mandated by law to be protected. <br>Forest clear-cutting and diesel trucks are being allowed in areas <br>where even hiking is prohibited to protect the watershed. Photographs <br>which show Quabbin clear-cuts nearly reaching down to the water’s edge <br>can be viewed at www.maforests.org/QUABBIN.pdf<br><br>Other state forests and parks forests that have been subject to recent <br>clear-cuts include Windsor Jambs, Savoy, Wendell, Federation of <br>Women’s Club State Forests, and October Mountain. “These are the <br>crown jewels of our state forests and parks,” said Matera. Sheehan <br>added, “Generations of Massachusetts residents have enjoyed and <br>treasured our forests and parks – Myles Standish, Freetown State <br>Forest, and others – for their serenity and recreational value. These <br>state approved clear-cuts show that DCR is not protecting our forests <br>and the public is sending a strong message that this must change.”<br><br>Massachusetts is the 3rd most densely populated state in the Union <br>with 6,000,000 residents. State public forests, watersheds and parks <br>comprise only 11% of Massachusetts land area and 17% of its forests <br>and represent our best chance to preserve and protect wilderness <br>areas, fish and wildlife habitat, clean water, clean air, tourism <br>income, carbon sequestration, scenic beauty and recreational <br>opportunities.<br><br>Stop Spewing Carbon and Massachusetts Forest & Park Friends Network <br>invite citizens to join this press conference at 4:15 and attend the <br>public forum at 5:00 p.m. inside the Taunton Public Library at 12 <br>Pleasant Street.<br><br>The groups also urge that written public comments regarding commercial <br>logging on state public forests, watersheds and parks be sent by <br>February 22, 2010 to the state care of: <a href="http://webmail.valleyfreeradio.org/src/compose.php?send_to=MODRDCRFFVP%40umb.edu">MODRDCRFFVP@umb.edu</a><br><br> </pre><br><br><br>***************************************
<br>"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."
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- Thomas Jefferson
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