INDIANAPOLIS – Despite a failed bipartisan push to limit logging, environmental advocates are hopeful for the future of legislation to protect Hoosier wild forests.
Two bills to protect some of the state’s old-growth forests were defeated in the Legislature early this year.
Senate Bill 275, authored by Republican Sens. Eric Bassler, Jon Ford and Eric Koch, would have protected 30 percent of each of Indiana’s state forests. The bill failed to get a hearing in the Committee on Natural Resource.
A separate amendment to House Bill 1292, authored by Rep. Matt Pierce, D-Bloomington, would have set aside 10 percent of the state’s forest for old growth. The amendment failed this month in a 50-35 vote on the House floor.
Jeff Stant, executive director of the Indiana Forest Alliance, said he was encouraged that 22 Democrats and 13 Republicans voted in favor, demonstrating the possibility of bipartisan cooperation to protect areas of the state’s forests.
“If you listen to the discussion on the floor about this amendment, there was a high level of energy and support for the idea of setting aside some state forests to develop into old-growth forest,” Stant said.
Three Republicans — Rep. Tony Cook, R-Cicero; Rep. Donna Schaibley, R-Zionsville; and Rep. Bruce Borders, R-Sullivan — joined Rep. Carey Hamilton, D-Indianapolis, and sponsor Pierce in speaking in favor of the amendment. Rep. Sean Eberhart, R-Shelbyville, spoke against it.
Comments in favor of the amendment touted the historical and quality-of-life benefits old-growth forests can bring.
“We have so few lands where you can experience what Indiana was like 100 years ago,” Pierce said. “Our children ought to have that experience.”
Much of this year’s push to protect old-growth Hoosier forests springs from an increase in logging within the state.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources reports in a fact sheet on logging that annual harvests have increased from 0.3 percent of viable timber trees to 1.2 percent, or 12 trees of every 1,000.
More than 1,700 trees from 299 acres, including back-country areas, of the Yellowwood State Forest near Bloomington were sold at a Nov. 9 timber auction. More than 200 protesters attended the auction and unsuccessfully tried to stop the sale to Hamilton Logging Co. of Martinsville, which registered a top bid of $108,785.
Despite setbacks in this legislative session, Stant said the Indiana Forest Alliance will continue to work with legislators to pass protections for Hoosier forests.
“This vote reveals that the negative public response to DNR’s aggressive logging is a policy issue that is not ‘red’ or ‘blue,’" Stant said. “The way our public forests are treated is an issue that matters to Hoosiers in both parties.”