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Show Public to Discuss Future of Undeveloped Forest Areas Public meetings are being scheduled early in March to give anyone interested a chance to express views con-cerning con-cerning the future management manage-ment of all undeveloped land areas containing 5,000 or more acres in the National Forest of the Intermountain Region, according to Regional Region-al Forester Vern Hamre. This involves 11.9 million acres in eighteen National Forests located lo-cated wholly or partly within the states of Idaho, California Colorado, Utah, Nevada and Wyoming. The public meetings meet-ings include a statewide meet ing in each state capitol, followed fol-lowed by local meetings t be held by each Forest Supervisor Sup-ervisor . - According to Regional Forester For-ester Hamre, this will be an opportunity for anyone interested inter-ested in these lands to make known any thoughts and rec-commendations rec-commendations for management manage-ment of these undeveloped areas. National Forest campers, camp-ers, ranchers, loggers, water (users, backpackers, miners; 1 hunters, fishermen, and wilderness lovers are among those who have stake in how these underdeveloped National Forest lands will be managed. manag-ed. During the past several months ,all District Rangers and Forest Supervisors ' have reviewed National Forest lands to identify all undeveloped undevel-oped areas of at least" 5,000 acres in size ' ,and have prepared pre-pared inventories and maps showing their size and location. loca-tion. These areas contain no permanent improvements, except trails. The inventory does not include any presently present-ly classified Primitive Areas, or Wildernesses,: but includes some adjacent undeveloped lands. '' : After the listed areas are thoroughly discussed at public pub-lic meetings, the Forest Supervisors Sup-ervisors are to evaluate public pub-lic reactions. Written comments com-ments sent to them, as well as comments made at meetings, meet-ings, will be considered. Supervisors Sup-ervisors will then report on possible management alternatives alter-natives and preliminary recommendations rec-ommendations to Regional Forester Hamre. Management Manage-ment alternatives could include in-clude items such as the pos sible need for further study to determine for possible inclusion in-clusion of specific land areas in the National Wilderness Preservation System, or consideration con-sideration be given to classifying class-ifying scenic, historic, or ar-cheological ar-cheological values. In addition addi-tion possibilities for timber production, grazing? mining, wildlife habitat management, recreation developments, and other resource and people activities ac-tivities will be covered in the alternatives, The Supervisors will make recommendations as to any "candidate areas" which appear to them to war rant study as possible Wilderness Wilder-ness additions. Regional Forester For-ester Hamre stated that following fol-lowing his review of these alternatives al-ternatives and recommenda-1 recommenda-1 tions, a preliminary list of areas recommended as candidate can-didate areas will be developed develop-ed and publicized. Additional public review and recommendations recommen-dations will be sought concerning con-cerning these candidate areas. ar-eas. This added public consideration con-sideration is expected to be sometime in late May. The Forest Supervisors wiil review the recommendations made by the public and subsequently sub-sequently will finalize their conclusions and recommendations recommend-ations to Regional Forester Hamre. After he and his staff have reviewed the Supervisors' Sup-ervisors' recommendations to Edward P. Cliff, Chief of the Forest Service. The Chief will develop an approved list nationally, of candidate areas for further study Each candidate can-didate areas on this approved list will be assigned a national nation-al priority and a definite schedule sch-edule will be set for its study. Regional Forester Hamre indicated any interested group or individual can secure information in-formation or send comments about these areas by writing to Regional Forester, Federal Building, 324 25th Street, Og-den, Og-den, Utah. 84401, or contacting contact-ing the Forest Supervisor in the particular areas of interest. inter-est. Dates, times, and places for local meetings will be announced an-nounced soon by the Forest Supervisors. Utah's meeting is scheduled atSalt Lake City, Utah March 8, 1972 at the Salt Palace, Little Theatre, 1005 W. Temple Tem-ple St. at 1:30 p.m. - 5:30 pun. 7:30 p.m. - end. |