Local Government AXES Forests and Democracy

On episode 88 of the Green Root Podcast—the official podcast of Eco-Integrity Alliance—we unearth an alarming level of public forest destruction, science denial, and sidestepping of participatory democracy in Jefferson County, Colorado with citizen advocate Mike Rawluk.

Host Josh Schlossberg talks with Mike about:

-How he went from being an unwitting supporter of “wildfire fuel reduction” to speaking out about the unprecedented level of aggressive and scientifically-contested logging in Jefferson County Open Space (including clearcutting and removal of mature and old-growth trees up to 211 years old)

-His concerns with opening forests to wind that can spread fires quicker to communities, cut off escape routes, and endanger firefighter

-What he believes we should do about local, state, and federal government increasingly cutting the public out of decision making on crucial issues that impact our environment, safety, and lives.