Clinton Announces Forest Protections

VICTORY!!!

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WORLDWIDE FOREST/BIODIVERSITY CAMPAIGN NEWS

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Forest Networking a Project of forests.org

http://forests.org/ -- Forest Conservation Archives

http://forests.org/web/ -- Discuss Forest Conservation

10/13/99

Dear Bill,

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Future Generations

P.S. Make sure it gets implemented! Yeah, National Forests are more

than tree farms! ;-)

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Title: Clinton Seeks Forest Protections

Source: Associated Press

Date: October 13, 1999

Byline: Anne Gearan

REDDISH KNOB OVERLOOK, Va. -- Calling national forests "places of

renewal of the human spirit," President Clinton today announced steps

to preserve 40 million acres of federally owned forest - an area the

size of Virginia and West Virginia combined - as roadless areas

protected from development.

The president stood on a sun-washed ridge in the George

Washington National Forest, surrounded by trees turning shades of

russet and gold, to announce details of the preservation plan, which

is already under attack from Western Republican lawmakers.

"We will ensure that our grandchildren will be able to hike up to

this peak," Clinton said. "We will assure that when they get to the

top they'll be able to look out on valleys like this, just as

beautiful then as they are now."

The forest's Little River area, comprising 27,248 acres, is among

those Clinton is seeking to protect. It has high ridges and knobs

that offer stunning views of the Shenandoah Valley, and is home to

hardwood trees such as oaks, hickories, poplar and mountain ash.

Clinton disputed criticisms that his proposal would "turn the

national forests into museums" and hurt the nation's timber supply,

saying it provides future generations of Americans with a treasure

more valuable than timber.

"National forests are more than a source of timber. They are places

of renewal of the human spirit and our natural environment," Clinton

said. "We want this for our children forever."

Earlier this year, Clinton proposed a $1 billion "land legacy"

initiative to purchase open spaces, but that has been largely

thwarted by Republicans in Congress, who refused to fund it.

Clinton urged Congress to approve that plan, and said he would reject

any proposal that comes to his desk with anti-environmental riders on

it. "I will send it straight back to the recycling bin," he said.

The forest protection plan would require no congressional action,

relying on regulations to be issued by the U.S. Forest Service after

a detailed environmental review and public comments.

In addition to the 40 million acres, Clinton asked the Forest

Service to determine whether 15 million pristine acres still being

inventoried should be protected, said White House spokesman Joe

Lockhart.

Currently, about 18 percent of the 192 million acres of federal

forest is protected as wilderness. About 60 million acres are without

roads, or signs of logging, mining and other development.

Clinton's plan would cover isolated forest areas of 5,000 acres or

more and would affect road-building and other development in 35

states, most of them in the West.

Other areas protected by Clinton's announcement are canyon lands near

the American River in California's Tahoe National Forest; Colorado's

largest roadless area, 105,000 acres in Medicine Bow-Routt National

Forest; and 9,852 acres in South Quinault Ridge, located in

Washington state's Olympic National Forest.

"It would be one of the most significant land conservation actions by

the United States government in its history," said Richard Hoppe, a

spokesman for the Heritage Forests Campaign, a coalition of

conservation groups that has pressed for protection of roadless

forest areas.

Roads open forest areas to development, erosion and pollution. They

also disrupt wildlife, plant life and natural systems.

Roadless federal land also contains some of the most desirable timber

owned by the Forest Service. Timber companies and their allies in

Congress oppose any effort to close off future development.

"The president's trying to be Teddy Roosevelt," snapped Rep. Bob

Goodlatte, R-Va., in whose district Clinton made the announcement. He

asserted that Clinton is trying to please environmentally conscious

voters at the expense of preserving healthy forests.

Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, accused Clinton of "an agenda against

public use" contrary to Congress' intended policy of multiple use of

federal lands.

"It's very extremist," said W. Henson Moore, president of the

American Forest and Paper Association.

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