Conservationist Takes On New Role

Four years ago, the Inland Empire Public Lands Council hired Dave Crandall to help conservationists compete with the full-time professional public relations specialists of the timber and mining industries.

Although he didn’t have the money to match the industries’ print and television advertising, Crandall says conservationists are not going unheard.

Under Crandall’s direction, the Public Lands Council launched its “Clearcut Shame” campaign, complete with billboards and yard signs to publicize the havoc Colville National Forest plans would raise with fish, wildlife and recreation.

“We had to do something to put forests on the radar screen for people in Spokane,” he said. “We organized volunteers to go door to door. We had to show (Rep.) Tom Foley that forests were an issue he needed to address.”

Also under Crandall, the Public Lands Council’s membership has doubled; staff has grown from two to eight. He said the budget has grown sevenfold.

“This has enabled us to expand our Forest Watch program, which provides citizen participation and oversight,” he said.

“We’ve initiated a program that provides legal assistance to advocates for protecting public lands. That way, if conservationists lose in the administrative process they don’t automatically lose all they’ve fought for.”

However, he said legal action is always a last resort.

“We’d much rather see forest officials recognize there must be a balance between harvesting forest resources and protecting the integrity of watersheds and ecosystems,” he said.

Two weeks ago, Crandall left the council to accept a new job.

Based in Boise, he’ll work on forestry issues in Idaho and Montana with a coalition of groups called the Northern Rockies Forest Campaign.

“We’ve pulled together groups that want to do more than protect what’s left in Idaho and Montana,” he said. “We recognize these states have national treasures that are unlike anything in the lower 48.”

He said he also will be keeping a close eye on the federal program that’s studying approaches to managing the vast Columbia River ecosystem.

In his new job, he plans to continue reaching out to the public.

“The nation may have voted for change in November, but it didn’t vote to roll back environmental standards,” he said.

“People are beginning to realize they have to stand up to preserve laws that protect clean air, water and wildlife.”

Meanwhile, the Inland Empire Public Lands Council is narrowing candidates from a nation-wide search for a new executive director.

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