Conservation Reigns in the Sierra Nevada

There is indeed hope for the forests of the Sierra Nevada, as set forth in your Nov. 23 editorial, “A Living Plan for Forests.” The decision by the chief of the U.S. Forest Service to uphold the Sierra Nevada Framework means the plan will be allowed to stand along with the ancient forests of the Sierra Nevada--and that is good news for the Range of Light.

This landmark plan focuses the Forest Service on protecting the remaining old-growth forests in the Sierra Nevada and reducing the risk of wildfire, especially near homes and communities, through prescribed burning, strategic thinning and brush removal.

However, while a victory for land conservation and resource stewardship in the Sierra Nevada, the chief’s decision also will allow the administration to try to undermine the framework in future. It has been a long and rocky trail to seeing the framework approved. Should the Forest Service choose to follow it, the trail to undermining the plan will be steep, strenuous and legally difficult.

In the meantime, the plan strikes an important balance between forest protection and fire-risk reduction. With the remaining old-growth forests protected, it is time to put people to work in the woods--in the right places, with the right tools--to reduce the risk of wildfire in the Sierra. That is what the Sierra Nevada Framework is all about. And that is why we so strongly support it.

Jay Thomas Watson

Regional Director

The Wilderness Society

San Francisco