Letter accuses Oregon environmental groups of 'white privilege' on Elliott forest sale

A collection of social justice groups has sent a letter accusing Oregon’s environmental community of failing to work with Oregon’s Native American population to find a solution to the Elliott State Forest.

In a letter sent by the Western States Center, Unite Oregon and the NAACP Portland, the groups accuse Oregon environmental groups of working from a place of “white privilege” and “exposing a rift between (the) environment and Tribes that should not exist.”

The letter stems from conservation groups' opposition to a plan to sell the 82,500-acre forest near Coos Bay to a partnership of Roseburg’s Lone Rock Timber Management Company and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians.

Roseburg company is sole bidder for Elliott State Forest

“Your organization has mobilized opposition to the sale, with little to no engagement with the Tribes who would have, once again, become the stewards of this land along with their neighbors whom they have developed relationship, trust and, shared vision with at Lone Rock Timber Company,” says the letter, which is addressed to six environmental groups.

The social justice groups sent the letter to leaders of the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club, Cascadia Wildlands, Audubon Society of Portland, Wild Salmon Center and EcoTrust.

Josh Laughlin, director of Cascadia Wildlands, disputed the letter’s assertions.

"The conservation community has reached out the tribes in western Oregon regarding a lasting solution for the Elliott State Forest that safeguards its outstanding values, and we intend to continue dialog moving forward," Laughlin said in an email.

Read the entire letter below.