Ground Truth Blog
USC Analysis: Retardant is Laden With Toxic Metals
On Oct. 30, 2024, just as the previous issue of Forest News was going to print, researchers at the University of Southern California’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering published a report titled “Metals in Wildfire Suppressants.” The report provides...
Forest Service Continues Allowing Old-Growth Logging
The Forest Service continues to approve old-growth logging projects in spite of the Biden administration’s executive orders promoting old growth protections. One of the more egregious examples is the Black Ram Project, a plan to cut 95,000 acres in the Yaak River...
Logging Threatens Fens on White River NF
The Lakeview Project on the White River National Forest in Colorado proposes to employ “commercial thinning” in the 6,661-acre project area, much of which is characterized by wetlands, including irreplaceable fens. According to the Notice of Proposed Action (NOPA)...
Protecting Water Resources From Wildfire
Protecting water resources is a common justification for conducting wildfire mitigation projects on our national forests. The concern is valid, as forestland provides “the cleanest and most stable water supply compared to other lands,” according to a 2022 Forest...
Idaho’s Parachuting Beavers Build Forest Resilience
In 1948, Idaho Fish and Game began parachuting “nuisance” beavers into the backcountry in spring-loaded boxes that opened upon landing. The “nuisance” began in the wake of WWII as prosperity returned to the nation and more reliable automobiles allowed people to...
Forest Service Authorizes Heavy Equipment in Wilderness
“Forest Service leaders in the Pacific Northwest have authorized the use of heavy equipment and fire retardant to suppress wildfires in Roadless and Wilderness Areas,” reads a press release from the Forest Service. “When we approve the use of heavy equipment and...
Utah Seeks Control of Federal Lands
In 2015, a Republican-led commission of Utah legislators voted to file a lawsuit challenging U.S. government control of federal lands in the state. Almost a decade later, Utah’s Republican governor and attorney general are following through by petitioning the U.S....
‘Wildfire Retardant is Laden With Toxic Metals’
The calendar reminds me that this is the time of year for nonprofits to ask their members for a year-end donation. Your contribution ensures we can continue protecting our national forests, defend whistleblowers, and promote a positive environmental ethic within our...
Record Retardant Drops From Medford Air Tanker Base
Planes launched from the Medford Air Tanker Base in Oregon have dropped 1.7 million gallons of fire retardant so far this year, breaking the airbase’s previous record set during the 2023 fire season. The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest announced the new record on...
Gutting the Forest Service Workforce
Amazon announced last month that revenue forecasts require that it cut staffing at its fulfillment warehouses. “We’re forced to lay off all of our package handlers,” said Jeff Bezos. “They’re our cheapest labor and lowest in our corporate hierarchy so, obviously,...
Great Britain’s Sequoias Outnumber California’s 6-1
Sequoias are thriving in Great Britain, both giant sequoias (Sequoia giganteum) and coastal redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens). Scientists with the Royal Society report that some stands have matched the average growth rates of similar-aged sequoias in their natural...
Forest Service Releases Seasonal Employees
The U.S. Forest Service has suspended the hiring of all seasonal employees with the exception of firefighters for the 2025 fiscal year due to anticipated budget shortfalls. Letters sent to regional leadership teams were leaked via social media site Reddit, prompting...