Bark Alert: Field trips and summer school

Dear Barker,


Kids of all ages are welcome at Bark Summer School.  Hikes, trainings, lectures and music -- all free and all about Mt. Hood National Forest. Visit www.barksummerschool.com for details. Or, jump right in and volunteer this summer to protect Mt. Hood's forests from 10,000 acres of logging. Details in Bark Tales below.

Sincerely,
Alex P Brown, Executive Director

PS- Terry Sweier – famous anti-Nestle activist from Michigan – comes to Portland to share her story Tuesday, June 26th. Join the rally!

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Bark-Out: Protect BLM forests across Western Oregon
Bark-About: Logging on a slippery slope
Giving Tree: Tapped film screening this Thursday
Bark Tales: We need you to protect 10,000 acres
Howls and Growls: Obama increases logging, Barkers swamp Kitzhaber
Bark Burns: Some like it hot!


Bark-Out
2.6 million acres of BLM forest needs your voice

Did you know the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) holds 2.6 million acres of public forests in Western Oregon? Western Oregon BLM districts are also the only in the nation with commercial logging, including clearcutting and logging of old growth, practices that Mt. Hood National Forest moved away from years ago.

The BLM is currently soliciting input on revisions to a management plan that would shape the direction of these forests for years to come. This early phase of the planning process is the best time to have your voice heard and your reccommendations incorporated so be sure to comment before the July 5th deadline. Tell the BLM it's time to modernize, and prioritize protection for forests, water, and species on the brink of extinction.

Take action today!

Bark-About
Feel the earth move under the Jazz Timber Sale

Volunteer Jos Vaught will take us into the Jazz Timber Sale to explore what 2,000 acres of logging could do in the most geologically unstable watershed in all of Mt. Hood. In the past year the Collowash River watershed has experienced seven landslides, raising major concerns about the additional impacts logging will have on this unique forest.

You should expect to walk about two miles on this month's hike, with moderate elevation gain and a bit of scrambling off trail. Please bring lunch, water, and sturdy boots. We will be going up in elevation on this hike, so don't forget extra layers of clothes and water resistant gear.

Bark-Abouts are led on the second Sunday of every month and are free to the public. Click here for more information about this month’s hike.


Giving Tree
Keep Nestlé out of the Gorge this Thursday with a movie and pints

On Thursday, June 7th, Bark is teaming up with Crag Law Center to host a showing of Tapped, an award winning documentary about the bottled water industry. Proceeds will benefit Bark’s legal challenge to stop Nestlé's proposal to bottle water in the Columbia River Gorge. After the show, stick around to hear the latest updates on the campaign to stop Nestlé in Oregon, and learn how to get involved.

Thursday’s benefit, sponsored by Klean Kanteen, will also feature goodies including stainless steel pint glasses and raffle prizes. Learn more about Tapped and Thursday's showing on our event page.

Bark Tales
Summer time fun with Bark means new ways to get involved
 
Summer is just around the corner and that means its field season here at Bark. But with 10,000 acres of forest on the chopping block in the Clackamas River watershed, we need your help, so we have a whole series of educational events and trainings lined up.

Get into the forest on Saturday, June 16th for a groundtruthing blitz. This is the perfect opportunity to plug into Bark and learn how to monitor proposed logging projects from the ground level. There will be a training for beginners, or freshen up on your skills by groundtruthing alongside long-time volunteers. Check the event page for more information, and e-mail Bark's Forest Watch Coordinator, Gradey Proctor at [email protected].

Then, be sure to check out Bark Summer School, a series of classes, trainings, and events to get you acquainted with your back-yard forests.  Events range from a Pedalpalooza bike ride to outdoor dance performance, so there's sure to be something for everyone. Special thanks to designer Will Bryant for creating our lovely Summer School logo.

And by the way, if you happen to be a graphic designer or wildlife biologist, e-mail [email protected] to help publish our first ever policy white paper.

Howls and Growls
Howls to 20,000 Barkers and growls to Obama increasing logging on our National Forests

Howls to Bark’s canvass, recently highlighted in the Portland Mercury, for helping collect our 20,000th comment to Governor Kitzhaber asking him to stop supporting Nestlé. This, along with comments generated by the rest of the Keep Nestlé Out of the Gorge Coalition, is more input than he has received on any issue since he took office.

Growls to President Obama, Congress, and the Forest Service for this year's 10% increase in logging on our National Forests under the guise of restoration. An agency report released in February justifies logging 2.6 billion board feet of trees (equal to 480,000 log trucks) in 2012 based on a need for jobs and "restoration," yet forgoes a discussion of the cost to taxpayers and the environment. Meanwhile, a March memo from the Forest Service identified that a 20% increase in logging is expected in Region 6, which includes Mt. Hood National Forest, to help meet the national goal.


Bark Burns
Some like it Hot!
Did you know that there are many species of plants and animals that depend on severely burned forests for their survival?  In the article, The Beauty of a Burned Forest, Professor Richard Hutto highlights the unique ecosystem created by stand-replacing fires and how animals like the black-backed woodpecker are declining because of fire suppression and post-fire logging. 

What do you think? Does understanding the ecological importance of stand-replacing fires affect your opinion about fuels-reduction projects and fire suppression?