FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Randi Spivak, American Lands
(202)547-9400
 randispivak@americanlands.org
Updates on issue from DC only
Anthony Villagomez
(541)490-2106
bairdsbadbill@care2.com
Sun. April 16th - Sat. April 22nd
Rep. Baird's Disregard of Science Drives Man to New Heights
In the early morning of Sun. April 16th Adrian Haley, a concerned citizen, climbed 60' up a tree outside Rep. Brian Baird's Vancouver, WA office. He plans to perch in the tree until Sat April 22nd and descend during an Earth Day celebration planned in Fort Vancouver. Mr. Haley is protesting Rep. Baird's decision to cosponsor the Forest Emergency Recovery and Research Act - HR4200, and his continual disregard for the growing majority of science showing post-fire logging hinders forest regeneration.
Adrian Haley's Statement: "Baird continues to ignore overwhelming evidence that Logging in a burnt forest slows the recovery process, and increases fire risk. Salvage logging in burned areas contradicts the very title of this bill 'Recovery and Research' and is by no means "a responsible, common-sense bill" as Baird states. Baird would ignore good science to create bad policy. A dead tree supports significantly more life for a forest then a live tree, and to remove these snags would be to remove the heart beat of the forest."
HR4200 seeks to fast-track post-fire logging by suspending environmental safeguards and reducing the American publics ability to give their input; all under the guise of forest restoration. Rep. Baird has said, I don't accept the data or the premise." when referring to peer-reviewed studies like the Donato study that seems to contradict the non-peer-reviewed study he bases his legislation on. Dominik DellaSala, Ph.D., a forest ecologist for the World Wildlife Fund says, " Of the more than 30 scientific papers on post-fire logging published to date, not a single one indicates that logging after fires provides benefits to ecosystems regenerating after disturbances." 169 scientists, mostly professors, signed a statement asking Congress not to pass HR4200 because, "Ironically this legislation is crafted to ignore the science... " yet Baird still thinks his science is correct.
On Tuesday April 18th at 1pm a festive press conference will be held outside of Rep. Baird's Vancouver office in Fort Vancouver. The Oxygen Collective will join Mr. Haley's support crew with their 40' biodiesel bus and many props showing the truth behind Wildfire Science. Coffee and donuts will be on hand for the press.
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