Shawnee Trails

November 1998

Shawnee Forest Natural Areas Need your Help!

Call or Write the Forest Service Today!
By Barbara McKasson
Yes, we are siding with the U.S. Forest Service, since this time they are doing the right thing in closing the Natural Areas within the Shawnee Forest. There are 80 of these Natural Areas that have been found to contain valuable ecological, natural, aquatic, geological, and/or historic features. These 80 areas comprise about 5% of the Shawnee National Forest. The U.S.F.S. has already closed 40 of these areas to motorized vehicles and horses. Considerable damage has already been done by horse traffic in a number of these areas. This is because there have been over 20 horse camps move into areas next to the Shawnee Forest within the last ten years. The horse camp owners have advertised nationally and now attract horse riders from at least eight states. Anyone visiting some of these Natural Areas, such as Double Branch Hole, Jackson Hole, and Lusk Creek Canyon, can see first hand how extensive horseback riding has turned narrow foot paths into wide thoroughfares, or three or four paths exist where there was only one before. In some of the most scenic areas, horses have trampled and cut up the vegetation so much that there is nothing but bare ground under some dying trees (visit the waterfall at Jackson Hole to witness a prime example of this). The Natural Areas need protection now, or else most of them will be decimated within a short time.

If you have been reading the Southern Illinoisan, you probably are aware that several horseback riding organizations have sued the U.S. Forest Service. These organizations are claiming that the Forest Service does not have a right to close areas that contain "historic" roads, i.e., trails that previously were designated and maintained as county roads, but have been abandoned and not maintained by the county for years. These trail riding organizations have claimed that there are historic roads specifically in the Burke Branch Research Natural Area and in the Atwood Ridge Research Natural Area over which the counties, and not the Forest Service, have legal jurisdiction. (Research Natural Areas are especially important as baseline study areas.) Shawnee Group and the Illinois Chapter of the Sierra Club hope to be able to intervene on the side of the Forest Service.

Meanwhile, the Forest Service has been getting a lot of calls and letters from horseback riders all over the Midwest, who have been told that the Forest Service eventually plans to close the whole Shawnee Forest to horseback riding, which is totally false. The Forest Service is even planning to allow one horse trail through each of seven large Natural Areas. NOW, THE FOREST SERVICE NEEDS TO HEAR FROM YOU. We need to let the Forest Service hear from us so they know that there are a lot of people who support them in doing their best to defend their actions in protecting the Natural Areas against these groups. We want them to put up the best defense possible in this suit, so they need encouragement from us! So, please call 1-800-MYWOODS, and let them know you think they are doing the right thing!

Let President Clinton Know You Don't Want To "Trade Away Our Environment"

By Barbara McKasson
Please Sign and Mail in the Enclosed Letter to President Clinton (Those receiving the e-mail version of the newsletter will receive a copy of the letter in a special mailing)

A number of developments under NAFTA have shown us how overseas investors often evade their environmental responsibilities. Now the corporate lobbyists have dreamed up the most dangerous trade agreement yet -- the Multilateral Agreement on Investment, or MAI. The MAI could undermine virtually any local, state, or federal environmental law in the name of investor rights. Under the MAI, foreign investors could sue any level of government for compensation in an international court stacked with trade lawyers for any law that hurts their profits.

Under NAFTA, the Ethyl Corporation sued Canada for $251 million. Canada had banned a toxic gasoline additive made by the corporation. Finally, the Canadian government agreed to allow Ethyl Corp. to sell the additive in Canada. In addition, they agreed to tell people that the additive would not hurt them, and paid the company $13 million for damages to the "good name" of their company. Also, foreign fishing companies have sued under GATT, declaring that U.S. regulations requiring that fishing boats use turtle excluder devices (TED) are unfair. The U.S. was ruled against on that dispute. The MAI would greatly increase such suits.

Foreign investors could use the MAI against many state and local environmental efforts. (U.S. companies could do the same abroad.) For example, salmon habitat recovery plans could be blocked or weakened by foreign timber and farmland owners, efforts to use local zoning laws to save the last parcel of Sterling Forest could be jeopardized by the parcel's Swiss owner, controls on coastal development at the Pebble Beach golf course could be undermined by a Japanese developer. In Southern Illinois, efforts to block oil and gas leasing or to control timber cutting in the Shawnee Forest could be halted if a foreign company sued the Forest Service under the MAI. The City of Carbondale could be sued if a foreign company objected to zoning laws that prevented the company from building a large hog farm close to the city, or if the city insisted on certain labor requirements, such as hiring a certain percentage of local people.

Driving the Clinton Administration policy on the MAI is the U.S. Council for International Business, a lobby group representing General Electric, Dupont, Shell Oil, and hundreds of other transnational corporations. Rather than new rights for such corporate giants, we need new responsibilities, such as enforceable environmental and labor standards in trade and investment agreements, application of rich country environmental law to their corporations in poor countries, and empowerment of citizens to help decide on investment in their communities. The MAI is opposed by over 600 organizations, including the World Council of Churches, the Western Governors Association, the American Nurses Assoc., and the Sierra Club. The MAI is being negotiated now, in secret, by the 29 richest countries. The MAI could come to Congress in 1999. Negotiators could also shift MAI talks into the World Trade Organization agreements or other trade agreements. So act now by mailing your form letter to Clinton. Just fill out the bottom of the letter. There is some room at the bottom of the letter to add a comment of your own. That makes the letter even more effective. This is part of Sierra Club's nationwide effort to flood President Clinton with letters opposing the MAI. Let's try to drown him with letters, and make him change his mind about the MAI.

CACHE WETLAND Restoration Project

November 7 and 8, 1998 Horseshoe Lake Conservation Area
Olive Branch, Illinois
Take part in the reforestation of up to 12 000 acres in the Cache watershed by collecting acorns. The Nature Conservancy will provide patches and tee shirts, caps, bandanas, and mugs can be purchased. Camping will be provided by IDNR at the main campground at Horseshoe Lake State Conservation Area. For more information consult your October newsletter or call The Nature Conservancy at 618-634-2524.

John A. Logan's South American Adventure

Venezuela: From the Costal Cordillera to the Llanos
November 21 - 29, 1998
Extensive birding (White-tipped Quetzal, Bronzy Inca , etc.), in National Parks, cloud forests, foothills of the Sierras and other areas, while enjoying accommodations at various hotels and Hato El Cedral with its spacious, air- conditioned, attractively furnished bungalows, each with private bath. Entertainment including the famous Venezuelan cowboys, the "Llaneros", who with their harps, guitars, and maracas present their beautiful national music for visitors will be included. In addition to birds, you will see many animals including herds of Capybara, hundreds of Caiman, giant Anaconda along with mammals such as Red Howler Monkey, Crab-eating Raccoon and Pink Dolphin.

For more information contact Nelda at John A. Logan College ( phone 457-7676 ext 323 or 549-5588) Carterville, IL 62918. She has a brochure with details of each day's activities. The cost is $2467 - $2617 which includes airfare, lodging, all meals and field trips, with English speaking guides. Send $150 deposit to Nelda W. Hinckley, Assistant Professor of Biology, John A. Logan College, Carterville, IL 62918, U. S. A.

Sierra Club Calendars

Again this year, the Sierra Club, Shawnee Group has Sierra Club calendars for sale, and they are more lovely than ever! The retail cost of Sierra Club calendars has increased by 20%, but the Shawnee Group has decided to offer these to you at the same cost as in the past: $10.00 for wall calendars and $12.00 for the engagement calendar. You will not be able to get Sierra Club calendars in stores for this price, so be sure to get yours early while supplies are available! All profits will benefit the Sierra Club, Shawnee Group. Call Mary Swindell at 549-2720 to reserve your calendars. We will have calendars for sale at the October 8th General Meeting.

Sierra Club Holiday Cards

Because sales were so successful last year, the Sierra Club, Shawnee Group is selling Sierra Club Boxed Holiday Cards again this year. These lovely cards come with fifteen cards and envelopes to the box. The cards will sell for $10.00 per box (they retail in stores for $10.95 plus tax), and feature the inside message: Peace on Earth. New photos this year include adorable "Pumas Skating on Ice," "Raccoon," "Timber Wolf," "Snow Leopard" as well as "Holly Tree in Snow" and "Bryce Canyon." All profits from the sale of these cards will benefit the Sierra Club, Shawnee Group. We will have these cards available for sale at our October. 8 General Meeting. Beat the store prices and reserve your orders early! To reserve cards ahead of time, please contact Mary Swindell at 549-2720.

FROM THE CHAIR

"Oh no! Holiday advertising and its not even Thanksgiving!" Just a friendly reminder that your local Sierra group sells Sierra calendars. This year we have expanded the selection of Holiday cards. So if you go to the book store or card shop and see Sierra Club or other similar calendars and cards remember buy locally. Support your local Sierra club and not a national chain. The funds generated assist with this newsletter, the phone tree and conservation issues. Calendars and cards will be available at the first meeting September 10th. So come browse buy and/or contact one of the leadership team. The ExCom members numbers are listed on the last page of the newsletter... Mary Campbell

Sierra Club Endorses Candidates for State Legislature

By Barbara McKasson The Shawnee Group and the Illinois Chapter have voted to endorse Barb Brown, candidate for state senate, Dist. 58, and Jim Fowler, candidate for state representative, Dist. 118. Both candidates answered questionnaires that covered many state environmental issues, and agreed with most of our positions on issues such as air quality, mega-hog farms, funding conservation land acquisition, water quality, toxic pollution, funding for renewable energy and energy conservation, recycling, incinerators, public transportation, toll roads, sprawl, and the proposed Peotone airport. The Illinois Chapter also voted to not endorse any candidate for governor.

Both George Ryan and Glenn Poshard have mediocre environmental voting records, both are promising to support increased enforcement for better water quality, and $40 million (Ryan) to $50 million (Poshard) for public land acquisition of natural areas. Instead of making an endorsement, the Chapter ExCom decided to publish a side-by-side comparison of the two candidates on the environmental issues. Look for this in the next "Lake and Prairie," due to come out in October. Also, you can check out the environmental position papers for both candidates on their web pages. George Ryan's web page is , and Glenn Poshard's is .

The Illinois Chapter, after much heated debate, decided to not endorse any candidate for U.S. Senate. Six years ago, we did endorse Carol Moseley-Braun. In fact, the national Sierra Club office sent a $5,000 donation and a full time staff person for three months to help with her campaign. The main stumbling block to endorsing Moseley-Braun this time was her blockage of sanctions against Nigeria after the execution of environmentalist Ken Saro-Wiwa and seven other activists of the Ogoni tribe. People who voted to endorse Moseley-Braun pointed out her 85% six year average voting record from League of Conservation Voters.

Fitzgerald has a good environmental voting record as a member of the Illinois legislature (83% from Illinois Environmental Council), but his campaign is being funded by very conservative interests. Stay tuned on this one, because some people on the ExCom think that Sierra Club national office may override the Illinois Chapter on this.