E-M:/ OTTAWA NATIONAL FOREST WITHDRAWS SALES FROM LAWSUIT

[Murphwild1@aol.com]

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Enviro-Mich message from Murphwild1@aol.com
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OTTAWA NATIONAL FOREST WITHDRAWS SALES FROM LAWSUIT


Ottawa National Forest Withdraws 2 Illegal Timber Sales From 
Lawsuit

The Ottawa National Forest withdrew two of three illegal timber sales 
identified in a recent lawsuit filed on behalf Heartwood and 
Northwoods Wilderness Recovery.  The two withdrawn timber sales, 
Haymeadow and West 33, total 2300 acres, including 250 acres of 
logging within the Paint Wild and Scenic River corridor.

Claims raised in the lawsuit include: overlogging of northern hardwoods, 
logging within Wild and Scenic River corridors, inadequate wildlife 
surveys, failure to consider cumulative impacts, and failure to consider a 
reasonable range of alternatives.

In Rolling Thunder, the remaining timber sale challenged by the law suit, 
the Forest Service proposes to cut over 900 acres of northern 
hardwoods.  Rolling Thunder, is located next to the Sylvania 
Wilderness, which at over 18,000 acres, is one of the largest tracts of 
virgin forest left in the Great Lakes region.  Sylvania Wilderness 
contains populations of Bald Eagle, Common Loon, Osprey, rare 
orchids and other plant species.

"This is an important victory by grassroots organizations in the 
protection of Michigan's Wild and Scenic Rivers," says Doug Cornett of 
Northwoods Wilderness Recovery.  

"Once again this shows that citizens working together can make a 
difference in protecting important environmental resources," says Mark 
Donham of Heartwood, the other plaintiff organization.

One important issue that remains to be decided in the law suit is the 
legality or illegality of major over-cutting of northern hardwoods forests.

"Over-cutting of the Ottawa's hardwood forest is devastating the 
environment and harming recreational opportunities," says Cornett.  
"We believe that cutting timber well above the established limits is a 
serious violation of the Ottawa Forest Management Plan, and we intend 
to pursue this claim."

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Doug Cornett
Northwoods Wilderness Recovery
906-225-1938

Mark Donham
Heartwood
618-564-3367

Leigh Haynie
WildLaw
612-551-9979

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