Forests

While it is heartening to see the courts enforcing federal environmental laws on our national forests (“Judge Freezes 9 Timber Sales in Northwest,” Aug. 4), most of the time existing laws are not enough to stop the destruction of ancient forests on our public lands. The U.S. Forest Service is allowing timber corporations to cut down more than 500,000 acres each year on national forests, all paid for by U.S. taxpayers.

Our national forests will never be safe until we stop this subsidized logging program. Public forests should not be the poster children for deforestation, which doesn’t just mean loss of ancient trees, but also dirtier air, wild salmon driven to extinction and ruined waterways. Public forests, instead, should be preserved and restored.

MARCIA HANSCOM

Malibu