I’m writing regarding the March 11 letter in the PDN “Aldwell sale.”
I don’t disagree with the facts that the writer gives.
I believe them to be true.
Yes, Clallam County will receive money from the proceeds of the timber harvest; yes, this will go to local beneficiaries; and yes, the DNR sale must pass through the state rules.
However, the efficacy of these rules should certainly be questioned.
Do they really protect our watersheds, wildlife, and fish populations?
What is the general trend of the Elwha’s instream flow in summer?
What is the impact of harvest on carbon release into the atmosphere?
Trees are vital for carbon sequestration and we need more, not less trees- everywhere.
Since the industrial revolution, the economy has been pitted against the planet.
We either have jobs or a healthy planet.
You choose.
We are held hostage to a system that not only encourages, but demands unsustainable harvests as well as other destructive resource extraction.
Loggers are not my enemies.
They are friends and neighbors.
I appreciate the work they do as meaningful, interesting and important work.
But it’s important for us to see the huge impact we’ve had on the Peninsula since white settlement.
I hope to see a new movement of loggers that envisions forests sustainably harvested for centuries to come.
Let’s come together as a community with a vision for sustainable forestry and healthy communities.
The timber company executives can wait outside.
Dan Burdick
Port Angeles