Involvement. Then, in order to prevent any appeal of the decision, the Forest Service hid behind the "Emergency Salvage Umber Sale Program" (Public Law Even limited are for sale a is timber the under that legal challenges severely proposed Timber Salvage Act. So what was the decision? The Forest Service would sell 376 dead and 5,076 live Ponderosa Pine trees. Only 7 of the sale consisted of dead trees! Obviously this is a standard timber sale in an area with a few dead trees. The Forest Service's reason for killing so many live trees is that they are, or will be, "stressed" and therefore susceptible to being killed by bugs. If you ask them what conditions will stress trees, the answer will be drought, bugs, heat, root fungus, crowding, etc.; and any tree large enough to be considered "mature" or "over mature" is automatically considered to be stressed. Therefore the Forest Service considers every tree in the forest to be stressed in one way or another during its lifetime. "Stress" is just a bogus way to justify cutting down thousands of trees that weren't killed by the fire. After all of this avoidance of public involvement and lack of disclosure on what was being proposed, there were no bidders for the timber last September because the minimum bid required was too high. The sale was supposed to be offered again in May of 1996. 1 requested information on that sale attempt from the Forest Sendee, but they haven't responded. Now I see in the newspaper that the sale is going to be offered again in late July. Maybe this lack of interest by sawmills will dampen the Forest Service's enthusiasm for rushing questionable sales through the decision process. No economic analysis was included with the Decision Notice, so I assume that it was planned as another "below cost" timber sale. If the Forest Service were to actually make money on a timber sale in this area, they would be sure to let the world know. However, this is not a "big timber'1 area. The amount of National Forest land on the LaSals is relatively small and the trees aren't the giant Douglas Fir of the National Forest will make money for northwest Few timber sales on the Manti-LaS- al the Government, and the taxpayers will subsidize the loss - as usual Ken 104-19- ). . So what forest values does the new Forest Supervisor consider to be important? Judging from the decisions made so far, scenery isn't one of them. The Forest Service is still pretending that stumps are more attractive than dead trees. Those of us who y use of the Forest (hikers, skiers, mountain enjoy make a buck can who of those in favor bikers, and windshield tourists) are ignored off of Forest land; "posy sniffers" and "tree huggers" are considered to be a nuisance -an impediment to commerce. Why? It's our forest too. Complain to the Forest Service as often as possible about their egregious decisions that favor consumptive uses of the cross-countr- "non-consumpti- Forest. And prepare to write letters supporting Forest Flan is finally revised. outdated Manti-LaS- PACK CREEK RANCH A Country Inn Ranch Our restaurant opens on April 1, featuring Black Angus beef, fresh fish and the highest quality vegetables available Check out our regular trail rides Reserve a spot on one of our 1996 pack trips, including journeys to Grand Gulch, the La Sal al Next time: INTEGRITY & THE US. FOREST SERVICE- - PART 2. (remember that word) actions by the Forest Service. 6 Guest Herts what's happening at Pack Creek ... values when the ve 6 Jane Sleight's Mm egregious trail Mountains, and Holcin-thc-Roc- k Weekend historical lectures and programs by Ken Sleight. Independent watchdog Owen Severance has been ) 'i ( ? keeping a wary and critical eye on government agencies in southeast Utah for more than 20 years. His tenacious-nes- s is almost legendary among federal bureaucrats (much to their chagrin). A longtime friend of the great Ed Abbey. Owen lives 'somewhere in San Juan County." with a & if! J: i if I i) J dCR Kffoir. MDA cat named Dummy. JULY 21 SUNDAY 6 Call Paul at the Rio: 259-666- Or Moah Happenings: BOB DOLE COMES TO THE NEEDLES NEEDLES OUTPOST "Bob Dole s just a citzen now. Bob Dole knows how to relax. Bobs not even NP NEEDLES DISTRICT Loated 3d miles vat of Hwy. 191 on Route 211 CANYONLANDS wearing a tie. Bob loves those burgers at the Needles Outpost. Bob Dole looks in the mirror at night and thinks he bears an uncanny resemblance to Dick Nixon." CAMPING! SHOWERS 'GASJPROPANE 4x4 RENTALS SCENIC FUGHTS MAPS BOOKS INFORMATION SHOWERS GENERAL STORESNACK BAR 'ICE Bob. there aomethiag 1 yoar mother awl vut COLD BEER. POP FIREWOOD CALL 979-400- 7 or 259-85- 259-843-1 to tell yoc 45 TWF.NTV-NI'A Vi'AWi V AA A j " .Xfkrf. ,, rt rt . .a d c Art.. - .'A rt .' .f it.i.tit ii it fin Ui.iia ttii'V-'-