Protect California's Forests

California's beautiful forests and valuable watersheds — from the Sierra to the Cascades to the Coastal Range— are being rapidly clearcut.

Clearcutting is an extreme form of logging that replaces natural forests with tree plantations. It threatens our drinking water, clean air, and wildlife habitat, and it increases the risk of fire to our communities.

Forests trap, filter and store our water. California's forests provide 75% of our water supply. Forests are the lungs of the Earth: they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and give us fresh air to breathe. California's forests sustain thousands of jobs in the recreation, boating, fishing, hunting and sustainable logging industries – but not if they are clearcut.

Our forests, watersheds, wildlife and communities need better protection, not more destructive clearcuts. That's why local communities are drawing the line against this outdated and ecologically destructive business practice.

California Governor Jerry Brown and Secretary of Natural Resources John Laird should make California a shining model for the world by restoring our natural forests and protecting our watersheds.

Join Sierra Club's campaign to stop clearcutting California's forests. With your help, we can protect our majestic forests —the source of our drinking water, clean air, and economic vitality.

Read more about the Sierra Nevada

Take Action

Ask Governor Brown to Stop Clearcutting!
Sign our petition.

For more information, download the Clearcutting Factsheet

Help get your community to speak for the trees and stop clearcutting.
Click here for a petition toolkit.

News from the Sierra Nevada

• Everything Changes Because of Clearcutting
  Lay of the Land, February 22, 2012

• Sierra Pacific's clear-cuts impoverish forests, economy
  Sacramento Bee, November 20, 2011

• Timber War Returns
  SF Bay Guardian, November 9, 2011

• Sarah Matsumoto and Juliette Beck interview
  Sierra Club Radio, August 26, 2011

• The Battle for Battle Creek: Stop Clear Cutting the Sierra
  Eco News, Steve Elias and Juliette Beck, August/September 2011, page 3

• Battle Over Battle Creek
  KQED Forum, July 28, 2011

Read more news