Group protests logging

Love for America's national forests brought environmental groups around the country together this Valentine's Day. A national effort led by the American Lands Alliance that included IU students in the Indiana Public Interest Research Group, aimed to convince the nation's lawmakers to uphold the Roadless Area Conservation Act. \nThe Act was issued by the U.S. Forest Service in January 2001 following instructions by then-President Clinton to develop regulations that would provide long-term protection to the country's national forests. It declares one-third of the national forest system's land is off-limits to all road building and logging efforts. \nRecently, however, it has become possible that Congress will vote to weaken or revoke the Roadless Area Conservation Act. \nThis possibility led to the nation-wide Valentine's Day effort.\nINPIRG, housed in the Indiana Memorial Union activities tower, was eager to participate in the campaign to save America's forests. On Thursday, members of INPIRG, along with other IU student groups and Smokey the Bear dressed as Cupid, traveled to Bedford, to deliver a Valentine's card to the Forest Service Office. \nIn addition to a giant card, they delivered conversation heart candies that read "luv 'em don't log 'em," "save the forests," and "roadless-4-ever."\nJunior Christine McGinley, INPIRG board chair, said she hopes the group's participation on Thursday will help the national campaign and raise awareness locally.\n"The goal is that as a combination of efforts across the country, we will make a larger difference on this issue," she said.\nINPIRG also attempted to raise awareness and contribute to the national forest campaign on campus Friday. About 20 INPIRG volunteers set up tables in residence halls (a last minute change of plan because of Friday's frigid weather) and, armed with banners and signs, educated IU students about the Roadless Area Conservation Act, inviting them to sign postcards supporting the Act which would then be sent to the local forest service's Chief Bosworth.\nLarge numbers of postcards make a difference in the minds of lawmakers because they show that citizens really care about environmental issues, McGinley said. They are more important than the Smokey the Bear part of INPIRG's campaign, she added. \n"When people fill out these postcards … that's when we can make a difference on the issue," she said.\nMcGinley was extremely pleased with the Valentine's Day campaign. \n"It went awesome," she said. "It was an absolutely great event."\nShe was especially proud of INPIRG volunteers who, despite the rain, succeeded with their postcard drive. They exceeded their goal of ending the day with 500 signed postcards, ending up with about 580 ready to send to Chief Bosworth. McGinley was very pleased with the turnout on Friday. The amount of student participation showed her that people really do care about environmental issues.\n"It makes me think that there is hope with students and the country," she said.\nThe goals of the Valentine's Day campaign go all the way to Washington. \n"The overall result would be that we get the 108th Congress to support the Roadless Area Conservation Act," McGinley said. \nErich Eschmann, INPIRG campus organizer agreed and added that INPIRG is committed to keeping this issue alive and in the minds of congressional representatives.\n"This law has a really good chance of slipping through the cracks," Eschmann said. "We are not going to let this (happen)." \nLocal Congressional representative Baron Hill is a strong supporter of preservation of the forests and is an asset to INPIRG campaigns in that he generally supports their view when it comes to voting on Congressional bills. He is also a co-sponsor of the Roadless Area Conservation Act in Congress.\n"We're very grateful he's co-sponsoring this," Eschmann said. "He's been really good to us on forest issues."\nWhile the tensions between the U.S. and Iraq dominate the news, McGinley is adamant in her belief that it will not overshadow INPIRG's fight to save the national forests. She said that 2.2 million Americans have already written to Congress in support of the Roadless Area Conservation Act.\n"I have enough faith in the public and faith in citizens to ensure that they will be interested," she said.\nNext week INPIRG will recognize Clean Air Action week, during which the group will work to raise awareness about and support of the Clean Air Act, which is in danger of being weakened by Congress. Also, the week of March 10 is the National Forest Action week, when INPIRG will continue to fight for the Roadless Area Conservation Act. An inflatable Smokey the Bear will even make an appearance on campus to help the group continue their quest to raise awareness about the importance of protecting America's national forests.