Please come! Tongass National Forest Alaska's Rainforest--A wonder of nature Central Iowa Sierra Program Where: Urbandale Public Library 3520 - 86th Street, Urbandale When: Saturday March 31, 2007 11:00 am - 12:30 pm Event is free and open to the public Presentation: Tongass National Forest by Lois Norrgard, Alaska Coalition "What is the value of wilderness?" The mist-shrouded forests and clear-flowing streams of the Tongass National Forest in southeast Alaska make up the largest remaining temperate rainforest in the world and cover an island landscape marked by narrow inlets and glacier carved fiords. It is an incomparable wonder of nature owned by all Americans. The giant old growth trees, many over thousands of years old, are home to many rare and endangered species such as bald eagles, grizzly bears, wolves, sitka black-tailed deer, marbled murrelet, goshawk, and all five species of salmon. But this ancient rainforest is threatened by clear-cut logging - business as usual for the Forest Service. In 2005, according to Forest Service records, we lost $48 million in taxpayer paid subsidies on road building, irresponsibly damaging a national treasure that attracts hunters, fishermen, and tourists from around the world, $1 billion since 1982. Currently, the Tongass is the only forest nationwide where commercial logging is allowed in inventoried roadless areas. Come learn about the history, the place and its values, and the ongoing battle to fully protect this awe-inspiring forest - the crown jewel of America's national forest system. There are many opportunities to take steps to help protect this national treasure. Lois Norrgard is the Upper Midwest Regional Director for the Alaska Coalition, and has been working with Coalition members in Iowa, Minnesota, and North and South Dakota. The Alaska Coalition is a nationwide coalition of over 1000 conservation, sporting, business, labor and religious groups working together to protect Alaska's wild public land from the tundra of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to the lush temperate rainforests that stretch across the massive Chugach and Tongass National Forests. This presentation is sponsored by the Central Iowa Sierra Group of Sierra Club. For information email [log in to unmask] or call 515-223-5047. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/