Prominent biologists have thrown their weight behind a proposed law that many see as a "last chance" to save the last 5% of the U.S.'s original virgin forests. The bill would outlaw clear-cutting in any federal forest and ban logging and roadmaking on 7 million hectares of mostly old-growth forest. A star-studded cast, led by Harvard entomologist E. O. Wilson, appeared on Capitol Hill this week to release a letter signed by Stuart Pimm, Peter Raven, and 600 other scientists in support of the bill.
Vanishing breed. Virgin forest in Salduc national park, Washington.
JIM RANDKLEV/PNI
"This is the most clear-cut, decisive, and [scientifically] well-supported legislation that I've ever seen," said Wilson. It promises "more protection for biodiversity in one stroke than any other legislation." The Act to Save America's Forests, sponsored by Robert Torricelli (D-NJ) in the Senate and Anna Eshoo (D-CA) in the House, would make preserving biodiversity the mission of agencies like the Forest Service and would create a panel of scientists to guide management policies.
Republicans have recently come close to passing "forest health" bills that would allow burning and logging of dying trees to ward off fire and disease. But critics see that as an excuse for more logging. "There is no forest health crisis," said Arthur Partridge, a retired forestry professor at the University of Idaho. He said less than 1% of trees are lost per year to pests, disease, and fire.
Torricelli noted at the press conference that the bill (S. 977) would make for big changes in logging policies. President Clinton has put a temporary moratorium on new road construction in roadless areas, but that ban is under constant threat of being overturned. And clear-cutting is allowed in places like Alaska's Tongass National Forest.
The bill has attracted 91 co-sponsors in the House and five in the Senate since it was introduced last summer, but Gary Meffe, editor of Conservation Biology, says getting it passed will be "a long, grueling process." For now, "this is building support and educating."
