Scientists speak out for Tongass roadless and old growth protections
For Immediate Release January 26, 2018
Contact: Dr. Dominick A. DellaSala, Geos Institute, (541) 482-4459 x 302 or (541) 621-7223 cell, dominick@geosinstitute.org
ASHLAND, OR – 220 leading scientists, researchers, and university professors spoke out in unison today in support of protecting the Tongass National Forest from rollbacks to roadless area and old-growth forest protections proposed by Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski (attached letter).
Dr. Dominick A. DellaSala, Chief Scientist of the Ashland-based Geos Institute, author of “temperate and boreal rainforests of the world: ecology and conservation,” and co-author of the scientist letter, said “The Tongass is the crown jewel of the national forest system and one of the world’s last remaining intact temperate rainforests. Alaska is on the front lines of climate impacts from melting glaciers, rapid thawing of permafrost, and rising temperatures. It makes no sense to open up old growth logging wounds when the Forest Service can be transitioning to more climate friendly young forest logging.”
DellaSala added, When old-growth rainforests are cut down up to two-thirds of their stored carbon is released to the atmosphere as a global warming pollutant. Old-growth logging on the Tongass is estimated to release the carbon dioxide equivalent of adding over 2 million vehicles per year to Alaska’s climate impacts (See: https://geosinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/tongass-report-emissions-2016-01.pdf).
The Tongass is the only national forest still clearcutting old-growth forests. Most have moved on to logging smaller less controversial trees.
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