the film forum library tutorial contact

Buffers Don’t Help Fish by David Robbins Capital Press, September 24, 2004

I really enjoyed the article in the Sept. 3 issue by the Oregon environmental consultant. John Wooley states that the stream buffering rules are actually going the wrong way: that, in fact, streams really need some sunlight to achieve good productivity.

Wow! For those of us paying attention to the resource issues, that was a breath of fresh air. It was clear from the beginning that the Washington State “Forest and Fish Rules,” which tie up pretty extreme buffers, were not based on any real science. Instead, it was just a feel-good effort by politicians to appease the huge block of urban, anti-logging voters by saying, “Look, I’m helping to save the salmon!” When, in fact, they have been perfectly clueless about what might save the salmon.