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June 4, 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels May 21, 2004 Fires restore, not ruin, the forest Hats off to the Tidings for its editorial calling on citizens to fight salvage logging in forests burned by the Biscuit fire (May 1). Two details of that editorial need discussion. First, it characterized as "a compromise" the extraction of 80 to 100 million board feet of wood volume, provided that logging happens outside of roadless areas and old-growth reserves. That just leaves "matrix" lands designated by the Northwest Forest Plan for commodity production. Unfortunately, matrix lands at Biscuit overlap three key watersheds for salmon recovery: Silver, Indigo and Lawson Creeks, all tributaries to the Illinois River. Those creeks offer some of the best remaining spawning habitat south of Alaska, and the Environmental Protection Agency expressed concern that logging on steep slopes there would trigger soil erosion that could choke fish and smother eggs. Second, the editorial described the Siskiyou Forest as "fire-damaged." I accept that the Tidings editorial staff may think like Rep. Greg Walden that forests are better off green. However, to ecologists, black is beautiful. Fire is the principle natural disturbance process in Siskiyou forests, influencing forest structure, nutrient cycles, wildlife habitat and other ecosystem qualities. Very intense fires that blacken trees also leave pockets of unburned habitat, and they support unique biological communities with high levels of diversity - you'll find this anywhere salvage logging does not happen. Other post-fire logging projects of concern in southern Oregon this year include Timbered Rock, Toolbox and Baked Apple (check out www.kswild.org). Jay Lininger Conservation Fellow University of Montana Wilson avoids facts on Israel Susan Wilson's Guest Forum of May 1 attempts to set the record straight on the origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Like others addressing this emotional issue, the facts not supporting their personal bias are conveniently omitted. There is abundant information on the Internet and in the libraries about the origins of this conflict. I suggest to those interested in learning more: explore these plentiful and varied sources, and reach your own conclusions. After all, would you vote for Bush, Kerry, or someone else based solely on their TV ads? Robert Simms Ashland War support led to this abuse If you supported and support the war in Iraq and are now shocked by the photos coming from Abu Ghraib prison, there's a lesson in this for you. When you proudly wave your flag, actually or metaphorically, for war, this is what you wave your flag for. For abuse, for humiliation, for torture, for agony, for the violent murder of innocent people with no control over the actions of their governments, for the-oops-the missile went astray and we killed a few babies, sorry 'bout that. Don't call me crass for saying that. That's what you wave your flag for. You wave it for a whole new crop culled from a new generation and sent to a faraway place of horror, to become human soldiers, to kill other humans, to take prisoners and to frighten and humiliate them and torture them; that's what they're asked to do. That's what they're sent there to do. That's what you waved your flag for. That's what you "supported your troops" for. And you're shocked now? I hope you are. I hope you are that na�ve. Because those photos are what war is. It always has been and always will be. Instances of honor, bravery, and heroics, no matter how many, will never change or soften that. You want to call it a necessary and justified war? You go ahead, just remember to call it war. When you see or meet someone protesting against this war, please do them this simple respect: Remember that they are protesting abuse, humiliation, torture, the violent, terrifying and painful death of innocent people with no control over the actions of their government, the confusion and fear of young people in life-threatening and terrifying situations, the stray missiles and the two-year-olds with their limbs blown off. Please give them this simple respect: Remember that they're protesting war. Thom Little Ashland DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams