Sustainable forest

The battle continues to rage over the referendum to ban clear-cutting. Powerful multinationals are threatening Maine citizens with dire consequences should it pass into law.

As a sop for the multinationals, Gov. Angus King arranged to have leaders of conservation groups meet with them to draft a compact for the entire state that would satisfy all. One of the problems was that only a mere fraction of those affected were represented in drawing up the compact. This caused such a ruckus that the governor had to ask that changes be made to the compact every time an objection was made. The compact has been modified so many times it has taken on the characteristics of the chameleon.

Public statements justifying the tenets of the compact came from both sides. The chief forester from Great Northern made her pedantic pronouncement on the compact by announcing, “The audit process (which is strictly voluntary) sets up a synergy between economics and ecological health.” What a piece of sophistry, that!

Charles Gadzik, a former employee of the multi-nationals, now director of the Maine Forest Service, made the profound statement that he “doesn’t see any danger that the large landowners will abuse the clear-cutting exemptions or abandon their commitment to the audit program.”

[Thomas] Urquhart, head of Maine Audubon, said, “The time is right to move away from the old ways of confrontation and stonewalling.” Since he is alleged to have cozy relations with the multinationals who are doing the stonewalling, perhaps he had his lines mixed up.

Finally, we come to Ronald Lovaglio, formerly with International Paper Co., now King’s head of the Department of Conservation. Many Maine folks call him “the fox that guards the henhouse.” However, the compact group has agreed that he should be the one who hands out “the variances from the clear-cutting standards if strict compliances would cause undue hardship for the multi-nationals.” What a wonderful arrangement.

Maine people need some assurances that they will have a sustainable forest going into the next century. This compact and the way the administration is stacked provides no such assurances. The only hope Maine people have lies with passage of the referendum in November. That is the only way we can insure that the great north woods will be there for our children and grandchildren. Paul Hanson Argyle