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Dombeck Urges Media Assault on Chip Mills Addressing the Outdoor Writers' Association of America in Greensboro, South Carolina on June 27, U.S. Forest Service Chief Mike Dombeck alleged serious overharvesting of Southeastern forests and suggested that the expansion of chip mills was to blame. He also affirmed that "this is not an issue that the Forest Service can, or will, try to control or regulate," but that "you"-the outdoor writers-"can make a difference. . . . My plea is that you get involved. Make your voice heard. These are your lands. Your birthright." Within a few short sentences, the Chief seemed to have forgotten one of his own observations: "These are private lands, largely." One industry observer has pointed out that the Chief's use of statistics is misleading. The regionwide growth/drain data he cited only measure merchantable timber. They do not reflect the young forest's high growth rate or the "wall of wood" due to crash on Southern markets in about 20 years. The American Forest & Paper Association questions whether, in view of such statements, the Forest Service's Southern Forest Resource Assessment is likely to provide a dependable presentation of the facts and indicated plans to meet with the Chief to "maintain a rational discussion of forest sustainability in the South." The Chief's speech is posted at www.fs.fed.us/intro/speech/20000627.htm; the remarks about sustainability, with innuendo about chip mills, are at the end. Back to "News" Forest Resources Association
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