Seeing The Forests For Their Green

4 September 2000 - 8:00am

A Sierra Club Report disproves the myth that rural communities need to chop down National Forests in order to enjoy a healthy economy.

A new report disproves the myth that rural communities need to chop down their local National Forests in order to enjoy a healthy economy. In fact, the report, conducted by the independent economic analysis firm ECONorthwest and commissioned by the Sierra Club, found that recreation in our National Forests generates 25 times more money for the American economy than does logging on those lands. ECONorthwest reached four major conclusions - and exploded some longstanding myths - in their study: (1) National and regional economies are not dependent on logging National Forests; (2) Recreation, clean water and wildlife habitat in National Forest are worth much more than logging in economic benefits and jobs; (3) Logging has badly hurt the National Forests' ability to provide money-makers like recreation and clean water; and (4) Investing in restoration can provide immediate and long-term ecological and economic benefits.

Source: Sierra Club, August 31, 2000
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The areas where we have severe blight and indications of more blight to come are basically the same as they ever were. How in the world are we ever going to move our community development selves into an alternative future that thinks differently about the challenges we face in our cities and low-income suburban and rural communities?