|
A Healthy Perspective on Forest Management -- Greenpeace, Greenspirit founder addresses congressional crowd 6/10/03 Washington, DC - Chairman Richard W. Pombo (R-CA), House staff, and members of conservation associations packed the Resources Committee hearing room for an inspiring address by Dr. Patrick Moore, a founding member of Greenpeace. "Dr. Moore's remarks today were a breath of fresh air," Chairman Pombo said. "When a founding member of Greenpeace tells you that today's so-called environmental organizations have abandoned science and logic for zero-tolerance extremism, it carries a lot of weight. It was refreshing to hear one of the world's leading ecologists tell a bipartisan group of policy staffers to focus more on science than rhetoric." After leaving Greenpeace, Dr. Moore founded Greenspirit, a new environmental organization that focuses on resource sustainability and consensus building. Specifically, Greenspirit focuses on trees as a renewable resource that reduces pollution. "Dr. Moore was brilliant in taking the sensational scare tactics out of the Healthy Forest debate and inserting science and logic instead," Chairman Pombo continued. "When you are able to do that in any debate - on any aspect of environmental protection - the winner is always the environment. And that is just the direction the Resources Committee will continue to take." Dr. Moore said he left Greenpeace because it ceased to propose practical solutions to land management problems. At Greenspirit, he espouses active, scientific management to sustain and conserve our national forests. Dr. Moore embraced Bush administration proposals and House-passed legislation that would treat to forests to eliminate disease, insect infestation, and catastrophic wildfires. "We have to garden the forests," he said. "Contrary to the scare-ganda that is shoveled at the American people by Greenpeace and the Sierra Club, the Healthy Forest Restoration Act will protect our environment and our forests at the same time," Pombo said. "As Dr. Moore pointed out, our forests need to be gardened in order to reduce heavy fuel buildups that feed devastating fires. These are fires that pollute our drinking water, pollute the air we breathe, destroy endangered species, and take the lives of our fire fighters." So, why aren't the Sierra Club and Greenpeace endorsing the Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003? Because "emotive images" and scare tactics sell more memberships, Moore says. "I see fighting wildfire as a last resort," Dr. Moore said during his address. "Preventing them is useful work" in protecting the environment. For information on Dr. Moore and Greenspirit, visit www.greenspirit.com. Please contact Doug Heye or Brian Kennedy at (202) 226-9019 for more information about this address at the Resources Committee. |