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Comment Period on Forest Issue Expires Dec. 20 The Forest Service, in response to a directive from President Clinton, is developing a draft policy on how lands that have been "untouched by human intervention", specifically "roadless" lands, should be managed and protected. Inventories of these areas within the National Forest System, in parcels of 1,000 acres or more, total nearly 60 million acres. In a memorandum to the Secretary of Agriculture, Clinton said, "These are some of the last, best unprotected wildlands in America. They are vital havens for wildlife — indeed, some are absolutely critical to the survival of endangered species. They are a source of clean, fresh water for countless communities. They offer unparalleled opportunities for hikers, campers, hunters, anglers, and others to experience unspoiled nature. In short, these lands bestow upon us unique and irreplaceable benefits. They are a treasured inheritance — enduring remnants of an untrammeled wilderness that once stretched from ocean to ocean." Currently only 18% of National Forest land is congressionally designated wilderness. The unprotected lands, conservationists say, are vulnerable to road building, logging, and other damaging activities. While the logging industry claims the roadless plan will cripple the timber economy, the Clinton Administration counters by insisting it will have very little impact. According to the Heritage Forest Trust, 30% of the 192 million acres of Forest Service land will be affected by the roadless initiative. In the late 1990s, timber harvested from National Forests accounted for only 3.5 percent of all timber cut in the United States — only 5 percent of that figure would be affected by protecting roadless areas. The roadless initiative is the culmination of a decade-long shift in Forest Service policy. Since the boom years of the 1980s when timber was king, the agency has increasingly shifted its focus from logging to recreation, cutting fewer trees and hosting more hikers. Currently nearly 75% of the GNP generated from Forest Service land comes from recreation, over $100 billion a year. The USDA Forest Service has created a national website for information about the proposed roadless rule: http://roadless.fs.fed.us . The site includes answers to questions about the proposal, where to send comments and background information. — Chris Chesak, American Hiking Society
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