On May 31, 2001, the federal Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit upheld whistleblower concerns regarding timber sales that threatened Coho Salmon. These issues were first raised by two Forest Service employees in the Umpqua National Forest, Cindy Barkhurst, an endangered species specialist, and Jeff Dose, a fisheries biologist.

Barkhurst led a team of biologists charged with ensuring that logging complied with the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP). The team found that some timber sales violated the aquatic conservation strategy of the NWFP. Scientific conclusions of the team were ignored by high government officials, however.

In the meantime, Cindy Barkhurst and Jeff Dose were removed from the scientific team. And their positions on that team have not been restored. FSEEE continues to press the Forest Service to do the right thing. We’ve been working hard to return Barkhurst to her position as chair of the Umpqua endangered species team. But it's not been easy. Notwithstanding her immediate supervisor's numerous violations of the law (he has lost three federal lawsuits over his illegal logging in as many years), he remains in place. His immediate boss, the regional forester, is too timid to remove him. A wholesale housecleaning will be necessary before Barkhurst and her biologist colleagues can get back to doing the important species conservation work she is paid to do.

Our latest victory in the 9th Circuit will serve us well in our continued efforts for Barkhurst. Protecting our wilderness areas is critical to the health of our National Forests and to the priceless forest heritage of our children and grandchildren.