Forest Service Under Fire For Car Program

The U.S. Forest Service is facing criticism for its apparent promotion of a program in which Subaru has promised to donate $150 per vehicle sale to a foundation that funnels money to the federal agency.

Forest Service public affairs officers across the country were urged by higher-ups last week to promote the program, and a uniformed national forest supervisor appeared in a recent magazine ad paid for by the Japanese car company, The Register-Guard of Eugene reported.

Critics say it isn’t right for public employees to take such an active role in selling cars.

“I’ve never heard of anything quite like this,” said Andy Stahl, director of Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics, a Eugene-based group of agency employees, former workers and retirees who want to reform the agency.

Stahl said his organization has received a few calls and e-mail messages from employees concerned about the agency’s role in the program.

Subaru of America Inc. planned to give the money from the sale of vehicles to certain customers to the National Forest Foundation for use on conservation efforts and trail building on Forest Service land.

Subaru has named a new sport utility vehicle the Forester to drum up support for the program.

Forest Service officials referred all questions to the National Forest Foundation, a nonprofit group authorized by Congress in 1989 to raise money for Forest Service conservation efforts.

“We’re not asking people to sell anything,” Foundation spokeswoman Sherry Greenwood said. Forest Service public affairs officers simply were asked to distribute the foundation’s news release to the media, she said.

Greenwood also said that as federal funds shrink for agencies such as the Forest Service, it’s important to form partnerships with private companies to shore up budgets.

The $150 donation will be made for each car Subaru sells to members of the foundation and several outdoor groups, and to employees of participating corporations. The groups and companies range from Safari Club International, American Sportfishing Association and Trout Unlimited to Home Depot, Kodak, IBM and Georgia-Pacific.

Stahl said he’s got nothing against the car company. In fact, he owns a Subaru himself.

“I don’t care what the National Forest Foundation and Subaru do,” Stahl said. “It’s the Forest Service’s involvement that bothers me. Agency employees shouldn’t be hawking cars.”