Frequently Asked Questions

What is Wild South about?
      We educate and motivate citizens and public officials to protect and preserve our National Forests.  They are places of rare beauty that provide clean air and clean water for millions of Americans, provide a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities, and a place for the wild things.  But often they are managed to produce timber through monoculture plantings of fast-growing trees, clearcutting, replanting and herbicide use.  This does not meet the primary purpose of the Forests - - to protect watersheds. 

      We have been successful in Alabama, and now we’re reaching out to the rest of the South to help others apply what we have learned about how to protect our public resources and cultural heritage.  We motivate people to respond to environmental threats of all kinds, and work closely with groups that share our concern for forests and the environment.

       Our strength is from the power of the people.

What strategies does Wild South use to protect forests?
      First we educate people about the issues, and ask them to pressure public officials and land managers to act responsibly to protect our common property and resources.  Often the managers to not respond to public pressure, so we work with other groups to bring legal actions, and force the agency to follow the rules. 

     We have helped to protect over 300,000 acres of forests throughout the South.  In addition, we have protected over 20,000 acres within national forests as cultural heritage, historically significant, and unique botanical areas. 

     We are working on protecting more, such as with our mapping of the beautiful canyons in the Bankhead National Forest, and serving on the citizen liaison panel to advise the Forest Service.

When you say “protect the land,” do you really mean “stop cutting trees” ?
       We believe that our government should not be growing trees for commercial harvest on our public land, and using public money and resources in competition with private timber producers. 

        Numerous studies by the US Forest Service and others have shown that cutting trees on National Forests actually costs American taxpayers roughly $300 million each year.  The main costs are for building and maintaining roads to extract the timber.  These roads have huge impacts on water quality and wildlife. 

        We support the cutting of trees when it is done to restore natural forests of the region which are diverse, healthy, and provide recreational opportunities and wildlife habitat.  But it has to be done responsibly.

Doesn't the timber industry produce needed jobs?

       Recreational opportunities in National Forests generate large amounts of money for local economies while modern clear cutting opperations provide few jobs and have large societal costs. 

      So the choices are:

               To provide economic and recreational opportunities, reduce environmental damage, reduce taxpayer costs, and have nice woods to enjoy, 

                                              vs.

               Spend taxpayer money to subsidize big timber companies

to cut down our trees and ruin our watersheds.  

Join us to promote the right choice !

If you have any question about Wild South, e-mail  us at general@wildsouth.org.