HomeMy WebLinkAbout072522 Regarding Pennywise Forest Sale________________________________
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Hello Commissioners,
Below is a pre-written email voicing my concerns about Pennywise but I first want to state that I moved to the area 17 years ago and was able to buy a home in Irondale 6 years ago. I
recently became a registered nurse and will start serving the community that way. This is all to say I’m comitted to this place. The local watersheds and forests are incredibly important
to us all. Especially as we move deeper into climate change, fire and drought. Please consider the information below:
Dear Jefferson County Board of Commissioners,
I just learned that the BNR recently approved Penny Wise timber sale. This forest is important to our community, and I am disappointed that the Jefferson County BOCC sent a letter to
DNR that reversed their position on Penny Wise. I ask that you reconsider and that you urge DNR to protect this 98 year old naturally regenerated legacy forest! At the very least, request
DNR to remove unit 7 from the harvest plan, use Variable Density Thinning for other units, and mandate that no herbicides be used post-harvest due to the potential downstream water
quality impacts.
While I am sad about Penny Wise, I am encouraged by your desire to create a new Jefferson County forest plan for DNR to follow. Jefferson County could be a leader in the state for protecting
legacy forests and managing forests based on our forests' ability to mitigate the effects of climate change. Please create a plan that prioritizes the conservation of the remaining
legacy forests in Jefferson County. Once these legacy forests are logged and replanted as plantations, they are gone forever.
Thank you for being leaders that care about how our forests are managed.
Sincerely,
Lindsey Hoffmann