Galifornia's Timber Initiatives

Voters in California on Nov. 6 will be faced with deciding between two initiative measures affecting the forest products industry. While those in the industry hopefully understand the dangers of the wrong one being enacted, the public appears uninformed and confused at this time by the publicity given to both.

Californians for New Forestry, coordinating with the Timber Association of California, is working to insure the defeat of Prop. 130, the Forests Forever initiative which would decimate the industry, and for the success of Prop. 138, the Global Warming and Clearcutting Reduction, Wildlife Protection and Reforestation Act of 1990.

They urge all Californians to study the dangers of Prop. 130 and the benefits ofProp. 138. Those who rely on wood products for their livelihood can help by making sure families and friends are equally aware of the need to vote ves on Prop.138.

Proposition 138 will: o Keep harvesting practices in the hands of licensed professional foresters and biologists and away from Sacramento politicians and bureaucrats. o Provide for a $300 million bond to plant millions of trees in cities and other areas throughout California to help reduce global warming. Require timber companies to prepare long term management plans that would protect wildlife and ensure more trees are planted than cut. o Ban clearcutting of old growth forests and limit clearcutting in other forests. Overall, the measure would reduce timber harvesting by only l4o/0.

. Expand California's redwood parks by 1600 acres.

Proposition 130 would:

. Reduce timber harvesting by 68%, which would put 75,000 Califor- nians out of work. o Dramatically increase consumer prices for lumber, paper products and homes. o Give government the right to take away privately owned timber property, but the measure doesn't say one word about fair compensation to the landowner. o Establish a lengthy, costly bureaucracy and politicize the timber harvesting approval process. Although not limited to forestry issues, the California Environmental Protection Act of 1990 backed by John Van de Kamp and Tom Hayden if enacted would have wide reaching effects on the environment and, no doubt, lead to restrictions on timber harvesting. There is no industry support for this initiative.

. Give financial incentives for special interest groups to file lawsuits against timber companies.

See statement on p. 49 from Californians for New Forestry for additional information and ways you can help Prop. 138 succeed -editor.