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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend September 16, 2005 Environmentalists want probe of errant logging By ROBERT PLAIN for the Mail Tribune Environmentalists, angry with the U.S. Forest Service for mistakenly allowing the logging of up to 17 acres in the Babyfoot Lake Botanical Area, called for a moratorium on Biscuit fire salvaging projects and an independent investigation into the matter. They spoke during a public meeting Tuesday in Cave Junction called by the Forest Service to discuss how it should proceed after logging in the 353-acre botanical haven established in 1963 to protect Brewer spruce trees. A small portion of the botanical area was included in part of the Fiddler fire salvage timber sale area about six miles northwest of Galice, after Forest Service personnel incorrectly marked the timber sale’s boundaries, officials said. The trees were cut between March and August. "We briefly described how it happened and what we can do to ensure it doesn’t happen again," said Pam Bode, district ranger for the Illinois Valley Ranger District. "This error is not tolerable. It’s a big mistake. This botanical area is no longer the best example of old-growth Brewer spruce." Advertisement Bode said it is time to move forward and decide how best to repair the botanical area. Environmentalists, however, believe larger questions need to be asked. They are calling for an independent investigation, a moratorium on all logging associated with the Biscuit fire salvage recovery project and continued meetings to discuss how to prevent such errors from happening again. "It’s not the first mistake the Forest Service has made on the Biscuit project," said Dot Fisher-Smith, an Ashland resident who has protested the logging project. "The Forest Service is going to have to prove some things to us before they can ever regain our trust." Bode said the Forest Service is deliberating whether to replant the 17 acres or allow them to regenerate naturally. "The question that lies before us is should we intervene again or allow the natural processes to take place?" she said. A second meeting with Forest Service representatives is planned at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Illinois Valley Ranger District Butler Building. Robert Plain is a reporter for the Ashland Daily Tidings. He can be reached at 482-3456. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Computer Security Discount Hotel Reservations Casinos Canada dvd-r Generic Viagra Myspace Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Student Loans Sudoku Online Advertisement s Advertisement