My Page: Matthew Koehler
The Myth of the More Logging Silver BulletEarlier in the week, a timber industry-friendly economist from the University of Montana's Bureau of Business and Economic Research, claimed that Montana’s timber industry will face tough times unless we cut down more of our national forests. While this argument is often trotted out by industry supporters, let's look at the current economic reality. [more]
Former State Senator Fred Thomas Verbally Assaults FS Ranger following illegal OHV UseFrom the man who brought all Montanans higher utility bills through de-regulation, comes this account of illegal motorized wrecreation and verbal assaults directed at a Forest Service ranger. With political leaders like these, it's no wonder that parts of the Bitterroot Valley are still the Last Best Place for Tearin' It Up. [more]
Big Sky Coalition Founder Built Home in FloodwayFor a group billing themselves as "environmentalists with common sense" the Big Sky Coalition sure has a funny way of being green. [more]
MT Fire Suppression Committee: Please focus on common groundWhile some in the logging industry - and even some members of this Committee - may continue to falsely portray the conservation community's position on issues related to fuel reduction, fire suppression and restoration, the truth of the matter is that a lot of common ground has been reached. The Montana Fire Suppression Committee should focus on these vast areas of common ground and agreement, rather than entertaining a perspective that calls for the National Environmental Policy Act and the public appeals process to be suspended. [more]
New Report Details Rollbacks for Idaho BackcountryThe Center for Biological Diversity, WildWest Institute and more than 50 other local and national conservation organizations released a report today detailing the Bush administration's plan to open the door to development in Idaho's roadless backcountry forests - wildlands currently protected under the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. [more]
You Be the Judge: Healthy Forest Logging?View photos from the Middle East Fork logging project, the first Healthy Forests Restoration Act logging project in Montana, and judge for yourself if this is "healthy forest" logging. [more]
Former USFS chief on 10 year anniversary of road building moratoriumWednesday marked 10 years since the Forest Service proposed a moratorium on building new roads on 58.5 million acres of remote wild lands in our national forests. After three years of analysis and well over 1.5 million public comments, the Roadless Area Conservation Rule was finalized, making the moratorium permanent. Within 24 hours of assuming office, President Bush blocked implementation of this rule, and over the past seven years, his administration has tried to reverse and weaken it. [more]
“Put a bullet in her head” - Report from B’root Travel Plan meetingIt was a very sad glimpse at the worst of humanity last night in Darby, MT during the Bitterroot National Forest's Travel Planning meeting . [more]
Keep Debate about Wildfires and Forest Policy Bracketed by RealityNow that western Montana has been covered with a deep blanket of snow it’s a good time to look back on the wildfire season and examine some of the myths and facts associated with wildfires and federal forest policy. You see, around here, rationally talking about these issues during the summer months is akin to talking politics or religion around the Thanksgiving table…it just doesn’t work. But hopefully now that the immediate threat of wildfire has passed we can take an assessment of the situation that’s bracketed by reality. [more]
