Northwest’s Battle Over Trees and Jobs

Thank you for John Balzar’s excellent article (“Northwest Is at War With Itself,” Aug. 6) on the conflict over Oregon’s and Washington’s forests. The article failed to mention, however, that the conflict extends also to Northern California, and that the citizens of California will have an opportunity to take a stand on this issue in November with Proposition 130.

Driving through Northern California you can see great forests stretching seemingly forever, but much of this is illusion. A little back from the highway are large areas totally stripped of trees.

I’m afraid too many of us take for granted that these great forests will always be with us. In fact, if present trends continue, they will actually disappear like so many other forests of the past such as the cedar forests of Lebanon and the forests of Greece and Northern Africa.

Today less than 5% of California’s ancient forests remain. In some parts of the state trees are being cut three times faster than they grow.

Forests can be a renewable resource, but only if we renew them--only if the rate of cut doesn’t exceed the rate of growth. It’s called sustainable yield, and that is what Proposition 130 will establish. Proposition 130 may be our last chance to save a precious resource. I hope we take it.

PHILIP PORUSH

Los Angeles