пеани 1 наи Viziany шсаци Cuest I submitted for the Hearing Record when testi reflect effects clear cutting has had on segments Thank you for considering this matter. Sincerely, State Re STATEMENT OF DR. SPENCER M. SMITH, JR., SECR ON NATURAL RESOURCES, WASHI Mr. Chairman, members of the Committee, I Secretary of the Citizens Committee on Natural R tion organization with offices in Washington, D.C. The policy of even age management and/or cle of National Forests management has been a con a long period of time. Since our inception in 1 of Directors have constantly had this matter u significant that throughout the history of the CCN and able professional foresters as members of our that we are a forestry organization, for our Boar since its inception, to have the broadest type of I the many disciplines that bear upon natural resourc The burden of our comments relative to the pract only insofar as we are able to receive some guida have been seriously concerned for a number of yea ment a substantial part of the development progr which was prepared by the Forest Service in the la of that program was the failure to provide for ot in managing the National Forests. The emphasis h At the present rate, the Forest Service is cutti wood saw timber as it is growing. We testified on Agriculture in the last Congress to this effec risk involved. We testified again before the Subo Senate Banking and Currency Committee, suggesti building without such risks to the National Fores National Forests has increased from 5.6 billion b mately 13 billion board feet in 1969, and 14 billion increase in timber production, the Administratio increase the annual timber harvest by fifty perc board feet on an annual basis in 1978. gested that the basic problem for timber cutting and other p ore heavily upon the timber use of the National Forest tha thin the National Forest, has been due to the pressure of with the usual laudatory purposes, such as housing for low rehabilitation of hard core poverty areas, etc. The very urse, is that if this policy is continued the National Forests cimated to such a degree within a relatively short time, that possible to affect a sustained yield program, which would values of timber production but the other values that ha on in the management of the National Forests. ore, should like to recommend a policy that in our judgment emphasis to other uses than that of timber, and, by the same ng-run capability of providing timber resources. We would p ber production return to the level of 1960. This we believe to continuing at the present level of production, without the nec practices, which have not been funded over a long period of to court ultimate disaster! e would propose to hold the timber production levels of 1960 e lands are again productive. In order to achieve this produc pose that a major reforestation program be undertaken to hast of the forests relative to all uses. We would urge in such a refo that wildlife, water resources, and other considerations that d for so long, or at least have not been promoted to the ext mproved both relatively and absolutely. roposal would be that a moratorium be placed on all clear-c Oth meridian, and that west of the 100th meridian no clear-c ace in excess of twenty-five acres. This moratorium would con tive study could be obtained, or that the nonproductive areas, a ctive—whichever occurred first. would hope that this Committee would not appoint a Blue R -r purposes of making an evaluation of these tasks that have our proposal. Mr. Chairman, if I may be pardoned a personal i served on similar committees and have knowledge of others. committee appointments is to solicit outstanding and presti tunately, these individuals have limited time to give to the acti he staff is required to do a great deal of the work and a great de luation. We would recommend instead that the Senate Int erhaps in connection with the Senate Agriculture Committee, ight over public lands which purport to be operated under and sustained yield principles, exercise this oversight directl study and/or investigation. Members of this Committee, as we gricultural Committee have a long-time familiarity with man s, and it would appear to us to be highly economical, if those cha onsibility of oversight of this matter would make this determina and report to the country and the Congress their findings ions. and northern Rockies where rainfall is iight and extensive clear cutting is a questionable practice at is slow and it may take up to several hundred year Clear cutting is aesthetically displeasing as well sight of large areas which have been cleared of the recreational potential of our national forests. Numerous examples of extensive clear cutting Public Lands Subcommittee. I would like to me Salmon, Idaho in case they have not been mentione to are located north of the Salmon River and down Large clear cuts have been made in the Hull Cree Creek areas. The Squaw Creek drainage was logge 1960's. There still are now new trees growing in the l Unfortunately it appears that clear cutting will Forest Service policy is revised. Not only is the Forest Service is practically giving the timber awa scheduled in Salmon in which an estimated 3370 N East Indian Creek area will be sold. The minimum feet are: Ponderosa pint, $3.00; Douglas-fir, Lodgepole pin The Forest Service management practices should The timber resource is not the only important one life management, and recreational uses are also in due consideration. Our national forests are a valu managed accordingly. Sincerely yours, Chairn THE CONSERVATION AND RESEA New SUBCOMMITTEE ON PUBLIC LANDS Senate Office Building, Room 3106, Washington, D.C. DEAR SIRS: Being unable to attend the April 6-7 Forest Management in person I would like to sub a part of the Record. Through the vision of many people our country possessing a magnificent portion of the public dom tional Forest Service. These forests serve the pu beyond that of providing the nation with timber of these functions of the forests, notably the prote 60-209-71-pt. 2- -14 is needed by the forest ecosystem are flushed off the land. on should be thoughtfully applied to management practic -ests. ely, RICHARD H. GOODWI Pre CHURCH, THE WEST VIRGINIA HIGHLANDS CONSERVANC ATOR: By authorization of a resolution passed by the West onservancy; I, Howard N. Barb, a member of the board of di esent the following statement in behalf of the membership of > the attention of the Subcommittee on Public Lands of the C or and Insular Affairs, United States Senate: Virginia Highlands Conservancy views the Monongahela N art of the George Washington National Forest as among this ant assets. Hence, administration and treatment of these conomic and social effects on West Virginia and we believe th portant for the citizens of West Virginia to have a voice of these national forests. s name is synonymous with devastation as a result of ru of our natural resources. Tremendous wealth has been taken, of coal and timber, and we have little to show for it. Wise rces permits their renewal, but this is impossible in the min he national forests represent our hope for the future, and ded regarding them will effect unborn generations of West Virgini iewed with great concern the overzealous application of the ique of timber management and the construction of so-called rough the middle of our natural areas which in fact are poorl pts to get at more coal and timber. We know of the inade e Forest Service for every activity except timber managemen hasis of people high in the administration of the Forest Se anagement at the expense of other vital factor such as wildlife anagement. We have also been told of the self-avowed helples Service in our State to regulate coal mining abuses in the nat he almost universal ownership of mineral rights by private inter at coal mining is the greatest single threat to the national for forests are supposedly managed under the multiple use con ing is altogether incompatible with any other currently recogn ublic lands. Coal mining, as presently practiced in West Virg tes and otherwise permanently despoils the land for future pro As an observer of the forests of North Central W a professional ecologist acquainted with the proble practical economic and social realities I have the fo 1. The U.S. Forest Service has a genuine con Wenatchee National Forest. It is doing its best und bureaucracy and entrenched myopic timber orient 2. The Forest Service possesses men of high exp perform an exceptional job in planning and mana to do so. 3. I strongly believe that there are areas of public Forest which have been badly mismanaged with of obtaining sawlogs to fulfill the allowable cut short term expediency soils have suffered damag scape unnecessarily violated, and the public's fa competence betrayed. 4. To say the present state of Forest Service o not to say that it is all bad. The fault lies not with t personnel, but with the working relationships of t 5. Specific geographic areas I would use to su Eight Mile Creek drainage, Icicle Road improven logging units (pumice soils), Boulder Pass Trail, Pass Sheep right-of-way, and annihilation of uniqu Lake Creek. These areas are representative of the types of m oversight, ignorance or inattention. 6. In conclusion I wish to state for the record indeed exist with respect to the management of p to produce a sustained yield of quality services ar public. Sincerely, SOUTHEAST ALASKA MOUNTAINE Ketchika Senator FRANK CHURCH, Chairman, Public Lands Committee, Hearing on Public and Forest Lands Managemen Washington, D.C. Testimony of Southeast Alaska Mountaineers As has been in existence for approximately six years. tion are: 1) to promote an interest in wilderness re 2) to study the topography, history, and ecology of |