National Forests

End Commercial Logging on our National Forests

The Indiana Forest Alliance is a member of the National Forest Protection Alliance, which serves as a national network of
organizations working to end commercial logging on public forests and redirect the Forest Service to ecological protection and restoration jobs and services.

Working with NFPA, the Indiana Forest Alliance works to educate the public, the media, and elected Representatives on the damage and waste associated with commercial logging. We support the passage of the National Forest Protection and Restoration Act as a solution. Thus far, Representative Julia Carson (D-10) is the only representative in Indiana to become a cosponsor of the bill.

More information on the problem of commercial logging on national forests and ways to take action can be found at
www.forestadvocate.org.

To find out how YOU can make a difference in your area, contact the Indiana delegate to the NFPA Governing Council, Kara Reagan, at kreagan@indiana.edu or 332-4878.

Thanks to activists from IFA, Heartwood, Protect our Woods and others, the Hoosier National Forest has not conducted a timber sale since early 1998. The current forest plan allows for the cutting of 4.4 million board feet of timber each year, but it was demonstrated that even that amount of logging would likely kill the endangered Indiana bats and destroy their roost trees. However, the Forest Service is currently seeking permits which would allow them an "incidental take", or killing of Indiana bats, and exempt the activity from the Endangered Species Act. This would clear the way for attempts at logging the Hoosier to resume. Please stay involved.

An important way to stay involved is through the Forest Plan Revision. Click here for more information.

Forest Watch on the Hoosier National Forest

1. German Ridge Timber Sale
2. Threatened and Endangered Species Amendment
3. Breedlove Road Project

National Forests (including Hoosier National Forest) close caves and mines to allow scientists to study the spread of White Nose Syndrome in Indiana Bats. (April 2009)

From the Bloomington Herald-Times:

In response to the uncontrolled spread of white-nose syndrome affecting bat species, all caves and mines on the 14 national forests, including all caves in Indiana’s Hoosier National Forest, have been closed by the US Forest Service managers for one year. The closures will allow scientists time to study the white-nose fungus and learn more about its spread, a new release said Friday.

Nearly 500,000 bats have died as a result of the white-nose syndrome in the New England and Mid-Atlantic states, including almost 25,000 endangered Indiana bats. Scientists believe the fungus is spread bat-to-bat as they cluster in caves and mines. There is also evidence that it can be unknowingly transferred from one cave to another on footwear and gear of humans. There have been no reported human illnesses attributed to the fungus. Infected caves and mines may not show obvious signs of its evidence.

The Hoosier is home to several species of bats, including the federally endangered Indiana bat and gray bat. For more information, contact Steve Harriss at 812-275-5987 or e-mail scharriss@fs.fed.us.