Update from Friends of White's Woods - December 30, 2008

Position Statement: Logging Plan for White’s Woods

1 September 2008 

Friends of White’s Woods (FWW) feels White’s Woods Nature Center is a park for recreation and conservation. The White Township Supervisors adopted a plan that contends White’s Woods is for“continuing township revenue by the sale of forest products”, and thus is a commercial forest. The PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) now agrees with FWW that any management plan must accord with Project 70 law (used to purchase White’s Woods for “recreation and conservation”) and thus the Supervisor’s plan is “excessive.” DCNR is currently preparing recommendations for a revised plan.

But, the first plan failed largely because it ignored community wishes and any revision may be equally flawed if community needs are not considered. To date, the Supervisors refuse to include the community in a meaningful discussion of the future of White’s Woods. Rather, they insist that a plan developed to generate revenue can serve the recreation and conservation purposes of a park. A valid plan follows from clearly stated and agreed upon goals. The Supervisors are attempting the opposite, to use a plan developed for one set of goals to meet another set of goals which are undefined because they have never been discussed! This is a recipe for disaster. Better to have no plan than one purported to be for the health of a park but developed for the health of a commercial forest.

The Supervisors refuse to establish communication that could lead to the park stewardship plan we all desire. We all agree that a desirable plan would allow the community to enjoy this unique resource for generations to come. Why won’t the Supervisors help develop such a plan?

Go to www.friendsofwhiteswoods.org for details and to see how you can help.