July 26, 2001 Protesters target Boise Cascade 1 arrested in Boise; Bonnie Raitt among 20 charged in Illinois
By Patrick Orr and Ken Dey
The Idaho Statesman
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Photos by Chris Butler / The Idaho Statesman
|
| Tate Valle is taken into
custody by Boise Police officers after he chained himself to the axle
of a Boise Cascade Corp. delivery van for an hour and a half to protest
the company's logging practices. Valle came out from under the vehicle
voluntarily. The incident began about 8 a.m. Wednesday. |
 |
| Amanne Hays of Boise holds
a sign in front of the Boise Cascade Corp. headquarters Wednesday
morning. Hays, with Wild Rockies Earth First, was joined by about
40 others in protesting the company's logging practices. |
Two major environmental groups targeted Boise Cascade on Wednesday morning with protests at its offices in Boise and suburban Chicago.
At company headquarters in Boise, the protest was led by about 40 members of Earth First, while more than 60 supporters and members of the Rainforest Action Network protested at Boise Cascade's office-products division headquarters in Itasca, Ill.
At both locations, environmentalists criticized Boise Cascade policies, most notably the cutting and purchase of timber from old growth forests. And in both instances, the protests led to arrests -- including musicians Bonnie Raitt and John Densmore in Itasca.
In Boise, Tate Valle, 20, a member of the Wild Rockies Earth First, was arrested for attaching himself to the axle of a company delivery truck.
It took police and fire officials about an hour to persuade Valle to remove himself from the truck.
Valle was charged with solicitation to halt or impede lawful forestry, mining, or agricultural practices, a felony.
He will be arraigned in 4th District Magistrate Court at 1:30 p.m. today.
He could face a penalty of up to five years in prison and up to a $5,000 fine if convicted.
Valle was the only one arrested in Boise, but in Itasca 20 protesters with the San Francisco-based environmental group -- including Raitt and Densmore -- were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct for trespassing on Boise Cascade property, according to Itasca Police Department Deputy Chief Rusty Votava.
The Rainforest Action Network launched its campaign against Boise Cascade in October. Michael Brune, a spokesman from the group, said Wednesday members will increase pressure on the company until it changes its policies.
Brune said those policies make the Boise-based timber company a "dinosaur" in an industry that is moving away from its dependence on old growth timber.
Earth First, which has often targeted Boise Cascade, took its protest one step further Wednesday, criticizing Boise Cascade for the use of genetic engineering to create faster-growing trees and for moving logging jobs to other countries, at the expense of local workers.
Boise Cascade spokesman Doug Bartels said the protesters are ill-informed because the company isn't involved in genetic engineering.
Bartels also defended his company's environmental record.
"We're very proud of the work our foresters have done over the years," he said.
Bartels also said Boise Cascade's harvest of old growth timber only amounted to 3 percent of all harvests last year.
But despite the low percentage, Brune said it's still too much.
"How many species need to go extinct before they make a change?" he asked.
Brune also contends that Boise Cascade frequently purchases timber from countries that log from old growth stands.
Bartels, however, said old growth harvests are only done within the guidelines of government harvest plans, and timber purchased from other countries is only from responsibly managed forests.
"We do not purchase wood products from threatened or endangered forests," he said.
Another Boise Cascade spokesman, Mike Moser, said the company anticipates the percentage of its old growth harvests will continue to decline, but he said harvests from old growth stands will continue when appropriate and when needed to protect the health of the forest.
To offer story ideas or comments, contact reporter Ken Dey at 377-6428
or kdey@ boise.gannett.com., or contact reporter Patrick Orr at 373-6619
or porr@idahostatesman.com
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