I applaud the Astorian for covering the Oregon Department of Forestry’s failure to communicate with neighbors about the upcoming Davis Ridge Timber Sale (“Communication concerns re-emerge over timber sale east of Astoria,” May 28).

One thing missed in this story was the fact that the state of Oregon is continuing to log old-growth forests despite their importance for endangered wildlife like northern spotted owls and Pacific salmon, for storing carbon, for providing clean water and finally for providing places of awe and solace for people, including the neighbors of Davis Ridge.

After decades of largely industrial forestry, just 6% of the more than 600,000 acres of state forests contain trees older than 90 years — amounting to only about 45,000 acres. Of these acres, nearly a quarter, including the forests of Davis Ridge, are open to logging under the state’s proposed habitat conservation plan.

It would be such a small step for the state of Oregon to protect our last old forests, but it will take leadership from Gov. Kotek and the legislature. So far, that leadership has been sorely lacking and it appears the state will continue to log some of the few remaining patches of old-growth on state lands to the detriment of us all. This is a shame.

NOAH GREENWALD

Portland