Position Paper: The Spotted Owl, The Forest Products Industry, and the Public Policy Process

The Spotted Owl article states that northern spotted owl is a reclusive bird that few presenters at an April 2, 1993 conference in Portland, Oregon had ever seen. The article also states that the northern spotted owl lives in the old-growth forest of the Pacific Northwest, where the owl nests in snags and trees with broken tops. At issue was whether or not the habitat of the owl should be encroached in any way.

The forest products’ industry quite understandably wanted to harvest parts of the old-growth forest to obtain lumber that they could then sell for profit. Environmentalists were outraged that

the U.S. Forest Service granted permits in their National Forests for lumber industries to harvest timber in portions of the National Forests. Utilizing the Endangered Species Act as a “sword,” various environmental groups filed suit to stop harvesting of the old growth forests by the lumber industry. An injunction against harvesting in the old-growth forests was granted by a U.S. District Court in 1991, which stopped any tree harvesting until the Forest Service could develop an acceptable plan for protecting endangered species, such as the northern spotted owl.

In my opinion, portions of the Old Growth forests should be harvested if such harvesting would not cause any harm to the northern spotted owl or to any other endangered species, and studies should continue to see if such harvesting is feasible. That way, the human race would be protecting the environment, and at the same time utilizing resources obtained from the environment for consumption by the human race without harming other species.

If one looks at the big picture, the decision to stop harvesting the old-growth forests was an incorrect decision because of the impact on the economy. While I agree it is a shame that many people lost their jobs, it is a small price to pay for protectin

Some topics in this essay:
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