Letter: Let’s protect national forests for everyone

Posted on by Letters
Graphic by Lori Deaton

[Regarding “From CPP: Objections to Proposed Plan for WNC National Forests Delay Process,” June 20, and “Taking the Long View: Increased Logging Will Benefit Our National Forests,” June 8, both Xpress]:

The Pisgah-Nantahala forest plan has taken 10 years to write. During that time, over 34,000 comments have flooded the Forest Service. More than 95% of the comments urged the Forest Service to protect more of Pisgah.

After a decade of public meetings and a deluge of public comments, the Forest Service has issued a plan that quadruples logging and reduces protections for Pisgah. As a result, it’s received a record-setting 891 objections from organizations, local businesses and hundreds of everyday folks.

These forests belong to all of us. Cutting them down benefits only a few, while protecting them improves everyone’s health and well-being. There are plenty of logging opportunities on private property, which makes up three-quarters of WNC forestland. Let’s protect our publicly owned national forests for the benefit of everyone.

— Emily Diznoff, M.D.
Asheville

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