[mou] Conservation, Tongass Action

[fredericksonr@willmar.k12.mn.us]

>Reply-To: <kirsten@alaskacoalition.org>
>From: "Kirsten Collings" <kjcollings@earthlink.net>
>To: <fredericksonr@willmar.k12.mn.us>
>Subject: Tongass Action
>Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2004 16:20:13 -0600
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>

As an MOU conservation committee member I am occasionally contacted to pass
along information to MOU members via this list serve.  Following is a
request from the Alaska Coalition, of which the MOU is a member.

Randy Frederickson


   face=3D"Times New Roman" color=3D#000000>Hi  Randy,     It was great to t=
alk
with you this morning. Thanks so much for helping us protect our  roadless
areas in the Tongass National Forest, one of America's only temperate
rainforests.  With enough letters and calls to Timber Products
Company,  we  hope to i> nfluence their decision to re-open the veneer
mill in Ketchikan, Alaska.=20
>
>The sample fax to TPC is attached as a  word document to this email.  Feel
>free to change it to make it  representative of your organization.  *ALSO*
>please email or fax me  a copy of the letter you send for our records --
>this is really helpful for  us.
>
>The email alert about the Call-In day next week is in the  text of this
>message below. Thanks for passing this on to your members and/or  other
>listservs which you are a part of.  It would be great if you could  send
>out an email late this week as well as either Monday or Tuesday as a
>reminder.=20
>
>Thanks again for your help and dedication as a member of  the Alaska
>Coalition!
>
>Sincerely,
>Kirsten
>
>Kirsten  Collings
>Field Organizer
>Alaska Coalition of MN
>
>1313 Se 5th St.  #111
>Minneapolis, MN 55414
>(work) 612.623.3139
>(fax)  612.627.4050
><mailto:kirsten@alaskacoalition.org>kirsten@alaskacoalition.org
>
>Help Stop the Tongass from Becoming  Plywood!
>
>  Help out in the national call in day for the Tongass  National Forest on
>Monday, March 29th and Tuesday March  30th! Call Timber Products Company
>at:   1-888-744-7861
>
>
>**PLEASE EMAIL kirsten@alaskacoalition.org TO LET  US KNOW THAT YOU CALLED
>TPC SO THAT WE KNOW HOW EFFECTIVE THIS EFFORT IS -  THANKS!**
>
>
>
>Read on for more details:
>
>
>
>
>Background on the  Tongass:
>
>The Tongass National Forest in Alaska represents  the largest intact
>temperate rainforest left in the world, it is the Amazon of  North
>America. The Tongass is a remote coastal rainforest with centuries-old
>trees providing critical habitat for wolves, bears, salmon and bald eagles
>that  have nearly disappeared from the rest of the country.
>
>The steep mountains  and many islands that epitomize the Tongass also make
>it one of the most  expensive forests to log, and as a result, the Tongass
>timber program has been  losing taxpayer money for decades. According to
>GAO calculations, industrial  scale logging in the Tongass has cost the
>American taxpayer over $500 million  since 1992. As taxpayers foot the
>bill for these logging projects, the private  logging companies haul away
>old-growth trees at rock bottom  prices.
>
>
>
>What is left of the Tongass? After decades of  logging, industry has
>cleared most of the forests=92 biggest and best trees. For  more informatio=
n
>about the Tongass and the call in day, go to www.akrain.org.
>
> =20
>
>The Villain: Timber Products Company
>
>
>
>=20
>
>
>
>Timber Products Company (TPC), based in  Oregon, is in negotiations to
>re-open a veneer mill in Ketchikan, Alaska that  would require logging old
>growth, roadless areas in  the Tongass to make veneer, a product used in
>making  plywood.
>
>
>
>=20
>
>
>
>According to the U.S. Forest Service, running  the veneer mill profitably
>was contingent upon the removal of the Tongass from  the Clinton era
>Roadless Rule. In preliminary negotiations, the Forest Service  promised
>to work to provide a supply of trees from pristine roadless areas
>formerly protected by the Roadless Rule. This is the last stop! Remember,
>EVERY tree cut from the Tongass is still an old growth tree. Help stop
>them from becoming plywood!
>
>
>
>=20
>
>
>
>=20
>
>
>
>Flood the Phone  Lines!
>
>
>
>=20
>
>
>
>You can defend  the Tongass by calling TPC directly and urge them to
>withdraw from negotiations  to re-open the Ketchikan veneer mill. If they
>stop negotiations, we=92ll stop  calling them!
>
>
>
>Place your call anytime on Monday, March 29th and  Tuesday, March 30th.
>
>
>
>Call Timber Products Company at:
>
>
>
>1-888-744-7861
>
>
>
>=20
>
> 1. Ask to speak to Joe Gonyea (chief operating  officer). 2. Tell him (or
>the person who probably won=92t let you  talk to Joe) that TPC needs to sta=
y
>out of the Tongass! 3.  Tell them that you will not purchase any TPC
>products if they run the veneer  mill in Ketchikan.     Get the Word Out!
>  Please pass this email to other organizations you know that  would like
>to stop the Tongass from becoming plywood! Attached is a fact sheet  that
>can be printed off and handed out. We need to get as many people to call
>as  possible. Call each day!
>
>
>
>=20
>
>
>Attachment converted: Macintosh HD:TPC Action Fact Sheet (3-04).do
>(WDBN/MSWD) (00025452)
>Attachment converted: Macintosh HD:Organization Letter to TPC.doc
>(WDBN/MSWD) (00025453)
>