California Licensed Foresters Association Action Alert

TO: FLC Members FROM: Dan Weldon, Executive Director YOUR HELP IS NEEDED! Attend the JDSF Scoping Session, Sacramento, Friday March 12, 10:00 a.m. There is one more important hearing about the future of Jackson DSF and we need a good turn out of family forest owners like we had in Ft Bragg. The scoping session on the JDSF Management Plan and EIR takes place at the first floor Auditorium of the Resources Building, 1416 Ninth Street, Sacramento. The Board of Forestry needs to hear from forest landowners that you support the currently proposed management plan. Speak up and tell the BOF they should take quick action to fix the relatively minor problems the judge found and then return JDSF to a working demonstration forest without further delay. Another reason we need a good turn out on March 12 is that Sen. Chesbro has introduced legislation to change the management plan at JDSF, thereby severely reducing forestry operations. We need to show Sen. Chesbro and his staff what the true public sentiment about JDSF really is. In Ft. Bragg our pro-forestry folks turned out in far greater numbers than did the protectionists. Let's do it again in Sacramento! I have submitted the attached letter from FLC to the Board of Forestry. If you find you cannot attend this Friday, please take the time to submit your own letter. All comments must be received at the BOF office by March 18 at 4:00 p.m. Mail your letter to George Gentry, Executive Officer, California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, P.O. Box 944146, Sacramento CA 94244-2460, Fax (916) 657-5386, or by Email at board.public.comments@fire.ca.gov Thanks for you help....see you Friday in Sacramento. ----------------- Sample letter from FLC March 9, 2004 Mr. George Gentry Executive Officer California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection P.0. Box 944246 Sacramento, CA 94244-2460 RE: Jackson Demonstration State Forest Comments Dear Mr. Gentry: On behalf of the Board of Directors and membership of the Forest Landowners of California, these comments are submitted to address the concerns of the thousands of family forest owners who depend on the many contributions made by Jackson DSF to operate their tree farms and ranches. Despite the overblown rhetoric of a few dissident preservationists, it is clear that the Board of Forestry (BOF) must act decisively to approve the currently proposed management plan in the shortest time possible. After abiding by the judicial ruling to address relatively minor enhancements to the plan, there is no logical reason to delay the implementation further. There are many reasons to move ahead quickly to get JDSF back to the productive working forest it once was, including: · The economic stability of Mendocino County and the North Coast are dependant on revenue generated from JDSF timber sales. This means jobs, schools, health care, communities and much more. · Family forest owners depend on revenue from Jackson DSF to fund vital cost-share and incentive programs, harvest plan review, as well as the state nursery program. · The research at JDSF is crucial to demonstrate to tree farmers the management techniques they need to operate in a sustainable and profitable manner. There are currently 56 research programs underway at JDSF. · Without JDSF operating as a productive forest, the local infrastructure of private forests, sawmills, loggers and workforce will be severely impacted. So we encourage the BOF to take action to approve the proposed management plan without further delay. It is critically important that JDSF be given a clear mandate from you to continue sustainable harvesting, and to use the results of the research projects to demonstrate the techniques necessary to survive in these challenging times for forest landowners. Sincerely, Daniel M. Weldon, Executive Director

The California Licensed Foresters Association, with approximately 750 members, represents the common interests of California Registered Professional Foresters.