In late 1979, several events took place that would have profound consequences for the future of the national forests. First, in September OSPIRG published a massive, 144-page report on old-growth forests by Cameron La Follette. While environmentalists liked to talk about old-growth forests, what they meant were “big trees.” The Forest Service and timber industry argued that old-growth forests were “biological deserts” because the thick canopy of needles and leaves prevented any light from reaching the ground, and thus there was nothing for deer or other wildlife to eat.
Cameron’s report was the one of the first public efforts to challenge this notion, showing that several species of wildlife depended on old growth. It also noted that “most of the remaining old growth is in the already roaded portions of the National Forests which have been opened for timber harvest,” so wilderness protection of roadless areas would be insufficient to ensure the survival of such wildlife species. The report simultaneously opened the public’s eyes regarding old growth and created a new agenda for the environmental movement.
One sign of just how far Cameron was ahead of her time was an interview with Jerry Franklin, the forest ecologist who co-authored Natural Vegetation of Oregon and Washington, that she included in the report. “I personally don’t think old growth is an issue,” he said, because “there are already substantial acreages of old growth reserved.” Franklin would completely reverse course in less than two years. Continue reading
