2013 retreat: forests and public lands committee
TRANSCRIPT
Forests and
Public Lands
Committee Retreat 2013
“The State of Ohio, containing about 40,000 square miles, was once a magnificent hardwood forest. The forest types, thanks to the records of early surveyors, have been largely mapped. Yet it is impossible to form an adequate picture, from any surviving records, the appearance of that forest.
The state has its full share of memorials-statues, libraries, institutions, some useful, some not, some beautiful, many ugly. But somehow it never occurred to anyone to set aside a square mile, much less a township six miles square, of primeval vegetation for future generations to see and enjoy. Yet this could have been done for less than the cost of a single pile of stone of dubious artistic and cultural merit.” p. 19
Ohio State Forests and parks
are challenged---
Logging
Drilling
Biomass threats
Climate Change
A public that has limited connection to
nature
Underfunding for important support of
public lands
But there are heroes
Friends of state parks groups
http://www.friendsofstroudsrun.org/
Conservation groups
http://www.appalachiaohioalliance.org/
Advocates
Mohican Advocates
http://www.mohicanadvocates.org/
Businesses that draw attention to validate
the economic import of forests and public
lands:
Touch the Earth Adventures
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/
travel/the-impulsive-traveler-a-winter-hike-
through-ohios-cantwell-
cliffs/2013/01/31/3f18856a-6646-11e2-
9e1b-07db1d2ccd5b_story.html
USFS study linking health to
trees
http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/news/2013/01/t
ree-human-health.shtml
Forests
Ohio ranks 47th in public lands available
per capita
Three percent of all Ohioan lands are
state public lands. The remainder of lands
are private and therefore open to
development with limited oversight.
Historic Forests
Forests were destroyed for
settlement, agriculture and charcoal to fuel
the iron ore industry and wood products
Much of the forests of Ohio fueled the
Industrial Revolution
10% of presettlement forests
remained in 1910
Ohio Forests
Less than .04 of 1 percent of old
growth forests remain in small
pockets around
the state.
Forests
Prior to European Settlement 95% of Ohio
was forested.
Ohio is now ~31% forested 70% of these
forests are in SE Ohio
Ohio Department of Natural
Resources
State forests and parks are “managed” and administrated by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Division of Forestry oversees forest management:
http://www.ohiodnr.com/Default.aspx?alias=www.ohiodnr.com/forestry
The agency oversees various programs as forests, parks, wildlife, as well as mineral resources: http://www.ohiodnr.com/mineral/tabid/10352/Default.aspx
Division of Forestry
Bob Boyles, Chief of Forestry
Northern District Greg Maxfield
Southern District Nate Jester
http://ohiodnr.com/tabid/5158/Default.asp
x
Ohio State Forests
Drilling Legislation introduced
in 2011
Sierra Club- Campaign opposing, collaborative letter submitted to lawmakers, governor
Columbus Dispatch survey 70% of Ohioans did not support
Testimony house and senate, OEC lobby Day, collaborative BFC, OEC. Legislators passed against overwhelming public opposition
HB 133 Drilling on public lands including
state parks, university lands
HB 133 allows for the creation of the Oil and
Gas Leasing Commission (the
“Commission”), which will oversee and
coordinate the leasing of land owned or
controlled by a state agency, state university or
college for the exploration, development, and
production of oil and gas.
The commission
The commission has not been appointed.
Recently the governor’s energy advisor,
Craig Butler stated that they knew they
were behind and they are having a hard
time appointing people on the commission.
HB 133
ODNR has been busy researching mineral
rights as has the many state agencies
where there is lands and mineral rights.
Example-universities
Sierra Club sued last year
For information regarding the
implementation of this law. The findings
indicated that ODNR is very cozy with
industry and that industry assisted in
writing the legislation
A recent Dispatch analysis of state-held mineral rights
showed that Ohio could collect as much as $183
million in lease-signing bonuses. That’s if
the state leased mineral rights it holds in
14 state parks and forests near areas
where drilling is most active.”
Economic impacts to Ohio
Many of these counties (32 Appalachian by the Appalachian Regional Commission) are in economic distress with tourism highly important to the economy. Over 50 million dollars estimated.
Drilling on public and private lands will greatly impact the already stretched thin economies of this region.
2011 Budget Bill legislated
logging in parks
The budget bill passed in 2011 by the
General Assembly gives OSP the
ability, for the first time ever, to
commercially log state park lands under
the guise of “implement[ing] sustainable
forestry practices.” As a result of this new
grant of authority, DOF has unveiled 5-
year management plans for four state
parks.
Opposition: http://www.protectohiosparks.org/
http://ecowatch.org/2012/fracking-state-parks/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1Xow6vVkG
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPC4CRiW1-w
Logging in State Forests The ODNR plans to increase logging to 50% of
new growth by next year. We have seen an increase in logging bids this year, up by 1/3.
The Sierra Club Forest and Public Lands Committee is working on a campaign to educate the public, involve their members in contacting ODNR and evaluating whether this violates their contract with the Forest Stewardship Council.
What does a logging bid look
like?
The case not to log or drill
Ohio state forests and parks are much
larger than private forests and therefore
provide one of the rarest habitat
types, un-fragmented, interior forest with
old growth characteristics, important for
the survival of a number of forest species
of birds and mammals
Wayne National Forest BLM bid out 3,300 acres in the Wayne
National Forest for hydraulic fracturing September 2011.
After protests and actions, Wayne National Forest will implement The Review of New Information (RONI). This was to assist the Forest in making a decision whether the 2006 Forest Plan needec to be amended or revised and thereby impact further decisions on drilling on Wayne land
Wayne National Forest
Most letters of protest to BLM recorded
Letters opposing by Athens county commissioners, city council, mayor, president of Ohio University, watershed groups and local governments.
Over 3,000 letters delivered to Ann Carey Forest Supervisor [email protected]
Wayne Opposition
Review of New Information
RONI
August 28, 2012 conclusion that BLM
could lease parcels and that the 2006
Forest plan did not need to be amended.
Decision by Anne Carey Forest
Supervisor.
Our work 2012 Develop Coalition to protect Ohio Parks with
Ohio Environmental Council, Buckeye Forest, Mohican Advocates
Press event state house
Hikes in state parks
Webpage
Electronic page to email legislators
Collaborate with groups on Wayne opposition
Direct work on fracking
Work 2013 New Chapter staff to assist in public land
protections to HB 133 incorporating the Beyond Gas Campaign
Collaborate with Buckeye Forest Council, Ohio Environmental Council and Mohican Advocates to continue the Coalition to Protect Ohio Parks.
Goal to expand involvement to assist in protecting parks and forest from fracking
Develop outings to raise awareness Hikes on Forests and parks threatened
Slow down logging campaign Develop Forest Watch Program
Be present in the state house
Aware of the legislation that may impact
forests
DOF budget cuts-impact?
What you can do to help
Sign up for bids for logging parks. We have requested transparency on this for over five years. [email protected]
Become a friend of a park or forest
Spread the word. Write letters, talk to local officials, state officials, anyone about this issue!
What you can do to help
Call/email Bob Boyles chief of DOF
Call/email Glenn Cobb Chief of Parks
Call/email/ write Director Zehringer
What you can do to help…
Bring your skills and enthusiasm to the
forest committee.
Go for a hike on public lands!
