Snagged! End snag-cutting on Federal lands

Tom Kogut - A pair of western bluebirds at a woodpecker-excavated cavity in eastern Washington.

Target:

Jim Pena, Director, U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region

Signatures:

422

500

We've got 422 signatures, help us get to 500

Petition

Dear Mr. Pena: We are asking the U.S. Forest Service in the Pacific Northwest, which manages 25 million acres of public land, to ban snag-felling on all National Forest lands in its jurisdiction. The practice of snag-felling for home firewood use destroys hundreds to thousands of snags each year. These snags provide critical breeding habitat for sensitive wildlife, including bluebirds, woodpeckers, owls, swallows, and swifts. It also leads to the removal of downed wood important for mammalian forest carnivores and rodents used as prey for spotted owls, northern goshawks, and other at-risk raptors. The loss of forest snags means the loss of forest birds and the loss of overall forest biodiversity and resilience. We urge Region 6 of the U.S. Forest Service to ban the antiquated practice of snag-felling by the public, and to enact fines for individuals found felling snags.

Petition background

Stop snag-felling on U.S. Forest Service lands in the Pacific Northwest! Each year, untold numbers of snags are cut by firewood gatherers in areas used by some of our most at-risk woodpeckers, owls, and raptors. This practice is legal on millions of acres of National Forests that are managed by taxpayer dollars. Help us put an end to this terrible and outdated practice that impacts more than 90 species of birds and wildlife in our beautiful western forests.

Fast Facts:

Snag felling is allowed on at least 10 National Forests in the northwest (Deschutes, Ochoco, Okanogan-Wenatchee, Colville, Umatilla, Idaho Panhandle, Wallowa-Whitman, Malheur, Winema, Fremont, Umpqua).
These same forests are home to dozens of snag-dependent species, including at-risk birds like the white-headed woodpecker, black-backed woodpecker, Lewis's woodpecker, Vaux's swift, and flammulated owl
These Forests manage a "woodcutting" program in which snags may be cut and removed for home firewood use by the public.
Due to this "woodcutting" program, snag densities may decline by up to 82% – these snag removal rates are similar to those caused by salvage logging.
Felling of and chainsaw disturbance at nests has been linked to reproductive failure or mortality in white-headed, black-backed, and three-toed woodpeckers – these are sensitive species the Forest Service is tasked with managing.

For information visit: Chapter Conservation Action in Washington

We signed: Snagged! End snag-cutting on Federal lands

Lloyd

Tacoma, WA

Thu, 2015-10-01 16:01

#382

Gwyddon

Seattle, WA

Thu, 2015-10-01 15:34

#381

Alexander

Seattle, WA

Thu, 2015-10-01 15:31

#380

Catherine

Seattle, WA

Thu, 2015-10-01 15:25

#379

Kimberly

Seattle, WA

Thu, 2015-10-01 15:13

#378

Jane

Seattle, WA

Thu, 2015-10-01 14:39

#377

James

Vancouver, WA

Wed, 2015-09-30 19:45

#376

Linda

Greenbank, WA

Tue, 2015-09-15 12:16

#375

Steve

Albuquerque, NM

Tue, 2015-09-15 10:17

#374

Pam

Custer, WA

Mon, 2015-09-14 21:12

#373

Thank you for your interest in this issue. This petition has expired and is no longer accepting signatures.