Friends of the Clearwater plan protest prior to Saturday meeting

Friends of the Clearwater in Moscow has scheduled a public protest of the proposed draft forest plan for the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests at 2 p.m. Saturday on the sidewalk in front of the Best Western Plus University Inn, 1516 Pullman Road, Moscow, according to a news release from the group.

The U.S. Forest Service is hosting a forest plan public meeting 3-5 p.m. in the Appaloosa Room of the Best Western. Citizens are encouraged to attend the meeting following the protest.

The Friends of the Clearwater news release states the new plan will heavily log the Clearwater and Nez Perce national forests and severely threaten watersheds, biodiversity, old growth and fish and wildlife habitat with little-to-no accountability to the public.