FERNS Training Workshop

On the Oregon Coast, we are currently witnessing an alarming increase in clearcutting and toxic pesticide spraying. For some communities this is happening in close proximity to where people live and within their drinking water sources.

These logging activities are a public health concern, threatening air and water safety.

Read below about how you can monitor what is happening in your neighboring forest and about how you can join others advocating for best practices for drinking water and a healthy habitat.

FERNS is the Forest Activity Electronic Reporting and Notification System. It provides day-to-day notifications about forest management activities (where and what), including clearcut logging and aerial and hand-spraying of pesticides.

This workshop will walk you through how to create a FERNS subscription and how to use FERNS to monitor forestry activity in your watershed.

The workshop will be taught by Teresa Bird, who works on the Spray Free Coast campaign in Coos and Curry Counties for Coast Range Forest Watch and the Kalmiopsis Audubon Society.

Interactive Mapping that Shows Clearcutting and Pesticide Spraying Notifications

Spray Free Coast did an amazing job creating this map showing clearcut logging and pesticide spraying notifications that were submitted to FERNS through March 31, 2021.

If you want more background information, go to the Spray Free Coast website. Also, you can refer to the Spray Free Coast website for more resources and "how-to's", especially the Grassroots Organizing Resources page, which includes a FERNS tutorial.

Ernie Niemi's Presentation

The NCCWP Zoom recording of economist Ernie Niemi's April 6, 2021 presentation is now available.

Ernie Niemi, President of Natural Resource Economics, spoke about the economics involving logging and our communities. Topics included logging profits, taxes, jobs/wages, and economic impacts on local areas. 

> > You can view the presentation HERE < <

Earth Day Action

Become a Forest Waters and Climate Change Advocate

This message is from the Forest Waters Coalition:

This Earth Days focus is on forest waters. Included in the information below are some resources and action opportunities to help elevate this issue.

Currently, among West Coast states, Oregon has the weakest logging laws when it comes to protecting waterways. Especially in the context of climate change (which will bring hotter and drier conditions) we must enhance protections for our community drinking water streams and precious fish-bearing creeks.

Please join us in calling attention to the value of forested watersheds and the bed to do more to protect them.

Action to Take Today:

1. SUMBIT a comment to USDA for their open comment period.
2. Write an LTE, op-ed, blog, or Facebook post on the value of forests for clean water, or to highlight harmful logging happening in your watershed. View sample forest waters LTE's here. Check out this Forest Waters Messaging Guide for talking points and facts.
3. CONTRIBUTE to our photo documentation project of logging in community drinking water supplies. These photos will be used on the Forest Waters website and social media to help make a case to decision makers about the need for stronger protections for Oregon's waterways. 
4. SHARE these graphics on social media and through your networks. Hashtags #DrinkingWaterCantWait, #ProtectForestWaters

Thanks to everyone for your continued work on this issue.

Sam Krop Forest Waters Coalition [email protected] (727)432-5767