SPEAK OUT TO SAVE SOUTHERN FORESTS

Write a letter about why you value Southern Forests.
Send it to the editor of your paper and to public officials.

See sample below.

Attend a public comment meeting on Southeast Forest Sustainability.
Contact the Dogwood Alliance at 828-883-5889 or at info@dogwoodalliance.org
for an action packet. Right now, four federal agencies have joined to conduct an unprecedented
comprehensive study of southern forest sustainability.
These agencies are asking the public to comment on the direction of the study.

We need to protect Southern forests.

Forests provide clean drinking water, protect habitat for hunting and fishing,
and improve the quality of life for families throughout the South.
We aren't against cutting down trees, but we are against industrial-scale chip mills eliminating Southern forest heritage. Corporations must not build any new chip mills until we have more information about their impact on forests and have adequate safeguards in place for the forests.

The Dogwood Alliance is a growing network of grassroots organizations and community groups in 17 Southern states working to protect forests against accelerated industrial-scale clearcutting to feed chip and pulp mills. Find out more about the Dogwood Alliance at http://www.dogwoodalliance.org/.

SAMPLE LETTER

To the Editor:

We need to protect Southern Forests.

Forests provide clean drinking water, habitat for hunting and fishing, and improve the quality
of life for families throughout the South.

I'm not against cutting down trees, but I am against industrial-scale chip mills eliminating
Southern forest heritage.

Corporations must not build any new chip mills untill we have more information
about their impact on forests and have adequate safeguards in place for the forests.

Four federal agencies are joining to conduct an unprecedented comprehensive study of southern forest
sustainability. This August, they're holding five public comment meetings, including one in (Shreveport).
I believe that it's critical that the agencies address (mention the reason you want to protect forests, such as habitat protection, chip mill permits, massive clearcutting, water quality, community viability.)
Put in a paragraph explaining why you want to protect forests. You could talk about camping and fishing in forests, how your business relies on healthy forests, how forests provide clean water or how the quality of life in your community depends on intact forests. With this federal study, we have an excellent opportunity to protect southern forests against accelerated industrial-scale clearcutting and chip mills.

Sincerely,
Your Name Your Address and Phone Number

*Send your letter to the editor of your local paper. Letters to the Editor should be no longer than 250 words.
*Send your letter to one of the public officials . You can elaborate on the reasons why you want to protect southern forests, add the questions you would like to see answered in the federal study, and include pictures, graphs, or other materials that document your ideas.