Cutting Christmas Trees & Endangered Species Overhaul

Cutting Christmas Trees & Endangered Species Overhaul. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

The Endangered Species Act was signed into law by President Richard Nixon on December 28, 1973, it was designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction as a "consequence of economic growth and development untempered by adequate concern and conservation." Washington Congressman Doc Hastings says there is a definite need to update the program.

HASTINGS: The Endangered Species Act was last reauthorized back in 1988 and I think that reauthorization ran out in the early 90’s. I think we need to take a look at that and make some changes. Rough figures are that there have been 1300 species that have been listed and only 13 have been recovered.

A lot of people head to the hill instead of the local Christmas tree lot when it’s time to pick the annual pine. But the Department of Natural Resources says not all trees are for cutting and they are asking for the public’s help to protect school trust land trees. Trees and boughs are not available for cutting from the state’s 2.1 million acres of trust forests. Peter Goldmark, Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands says “Cutting trees from state trust forests isn’t allowed. These trees need to grow to build future public schools in our state, as well as provide wildlife habitat and clean water and air.”

Now here’s today’s Washington Grange report.

(Grange)

That’s today’s Northwest Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.