The Campaign's lawsuit of last year invalidated the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and Management Plan for Jackson State Forest. It also required that the California Board of Forestry take the lead in preparing a revised EIR.

The Board of Forestry has begun the EIR process by issuing a "Notice of Preparation" and soliciting public and agency comments on the scope of the analysis and issues to be considered, the potential environmental impacts of the draft Plan and alternatives to the draft Plan.

The Board will soon decide whether or not to do a "minimum fix" to the Jackson Forest EIR, as the timber industry is urging, or to reopen and revise the management plan and the EIR. The weight of public opinion will play a crucial role in that decision.

We who support restoring Jackson State Forest to old growth for habitat, recreation, education, and research need to urge the board to revise the management plan to make restoration, education, and research the first priorities.    

A scoping meeting was just held in Fort Bragg, the town closest to Jackson State Forest. Loggers and timber industry people were there in force. Board of Forestry members heard timber industry person after person urge them to "fix the EIR and get back to logging" as soon as possible." Campaign supporters were there, too, but were not as numerous or loud.

 During the written comment period, which ends March 18, we need to deliver a huge number of letters in support of developing a new management plan.

You can edit a prepared letter and send it via the internet with just a minute of your time.

The complete official notice of the EIR preparation is at:

http://www.jacksonforest.com/EIR2/notice_of_preparation.htm