Save Our Forests

By Bill Hayden, Chair of the Indiana/Hoosier Chapter

(From the Spring '08 Indiana Sierran.)

The Indiana Forest Alliance held a town hall meeting on January 29, to discuss the proposed logging of the backcountry area of Morgan-Monroe State Forest. Approximately 50 members of the community attended. Backcountry areas were created to provide old growth wilderness areas within the state forest system.

Soon after Governor Mitch Daniels took office, he replaced the State Forester, Burney Fischer, with timber industry lobbyist, Jack Seifert. Under Seifert’s direction, the Division of Forestry announced a new timber harvest plan that increased logging of Indiana state forests by 500%. This dramatic change was made without completing an environmental impact statement, which is a violation of the Indiana Environmental Policy Act (IEPA), which requires state agencies to prepare environmental impact statements for any actions that could significantly affect the environment. If this was not alarming enough, the maximum harvest area of the forests was doubled from5 to 10 acres.The Division of Forestry has announced the new harvest area will now include designated Back Country areas.

“This area was designated as a place to experience solitude and nature,” said Drew Laird, Director of the Indiana Forest Alliance, “not to hike on skid trails and log truck ruts.”

The Indiana Forest Alliance sued the Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry in 2002 for its failure to comply with the IEPA. In response, the Indiana state legislature passed a law exempting DNR's Division of Forestry from the requirements of the Environmental Protection Act. The Indiana Forest Alliance has now amended its original suit to argue that this exemption is a violation of the Indiana Constitution, which prohibits special legislation. The case is currently in Monroe County District Court and should be decided by April.

The panel of experts at the town hall meeting included Drew Laird of the Indiana Forest Alliance; Andy Mahler of Heartwood; David Haberman, IU Religious Studies professor; Bowden Quinn of the Hoosier Chapter Sierra Club; and Steve Higgs of the Bloomington Alternative, the meeting coordinator.

Laird raised the issue that Indiana law requires that state forests be managed for “the equal enjoyment of all citizens” not just to provide the budget for the Division of Forestry.

Haberman discussed polls conducted by both Purdue and Indiana Universities that found over two-thirds of Hoosiers did not want state forests harvested at all. There is a great disconnect between the wishes of the citizenry and their legislators. He was outraged the Division of Forestry has decided to cut timber on the Backcountry Areas which the Division had pledged to allow to become old growth for citizens who wanted to enjoy a wilderness experience.

Bowden Quinn alerted the audience that in 2006, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) tried to avoid following the rules of the Indiana Environmental Policy Act by letting them expire. They eventually had to do an emergency re-adoption, which is only good for a year.

Many attendees made eloquent comments about their outrageand concern about the wholesale destruction of the Morgan-Monroe forest in an effort to meet the timber sale demands ofGovernor Daniels and Division of Forestry Director, John Seifert.

Sierrans concerned about the timber harvest policies of this administration can write the Governor at mdaniel@gov.in.gov, or call him at 317-232-4567, and express their feelings about what is being done to our state forest and backcountry areas. The Indiana Forest Alliance is urging organizations, businesses, and individuals to sign on to a letter opposing the logging plan. Anyone interested in supporting this conservation effort should email Drew Laird at: ifa.director@gmail.com.

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