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Show West’s Timber Interest s Have Stake in Clearcutting Fight Page 22--THE HERALD, Provo, Utah Sunday, October 31, 1971 By LEE RODERICK Staggering Sight WASHINTON — “Under the “In 1968, I toured the Bridger guise of clearcutting, many National Forest at the urge of areas of our national forests concerned Wyomingites and have already been severely because of my own nagging camaged...today the once great concern about the condition of forests of our nation have been timbered areas there,"’ he depleted to the point that would relates. ‘‘What I saw was staggering. I saw whatat first shame Paul Bunyan.” “Clearcutting is often was almost unbelievable to me— described because it most ap- acre after acre, in patches iately matches the natural sometimes 1,200 acres in size, reproduction and growth that looked as if Hiroshima had characteristics of several tree suddenly been transplanted to species. These species develop and grow best in full sunlight,..clearcutting simulates the natural phenomena that gave birth to the old forest stand.” These two sharpiy contrasting views of the practice of har- clearcuts have been too large and we have had irouble in getting regeneration practices on some of the Wysming national forest,” he said in hearings before the Senate In terior Committee. Clit said to remedyproblems in Wyeming, a tragedy of immense propor- clearcut areas have been reduced in size and shapes of tions,” Forest Chief Cliff admits that more natural appearance; his agency ha made timber reforestration efforts have been intensified; and efforts are being harvesting mistakes in Wyoming. ‘Some of these made at revegetation of old cut the pristine Wind River Mount yd MoGee said the clearcut area was eroding, natural and forest 7eforestation were both failing, and logging roads andpiles of debris from harvested trees had luced ‘‘an ugliness that was areas which did not regenerate Forest Service recently comatfirst. pleted a confidential review of Cliff reports that clearcutting timber managementpractices. problems havealso developed ir According to Cliff, the review, Montana, and that strong op- which included input by position to the practice has specialists in timber, wildlife, developed in other states, watershed, recreation notably West Virginia. McGee management and research, lea maintains there likewise have to the following policy decisions been environmental problems by the agency. with clearcutting in Oregon and Areas will be identified where Alaska. timber will not be harvested Because ofincreasing public concern over clearcutting, the because there is ro suitable alternative to ciesrcutting and supervisors, rather than routinely by subordinate Forest environ 2ntal impacts make Service employees. clearcutting unacceptable. Although Senator McGve has Areas will be identified where stated such in-house studies ty cuts will be discontinued or the Forest Service ere akin to deferred because there is not “setting up the fox to guard the assurance of adequate henhouse,” Chief Cliff insists available evidence “‘supncrts regeneration. More specific guidelines for the need for all methods of clearcutting use will be cutting now used on the national developed, and clearcuttingwill forests,including clearcutting of be approved personally byforest both hard woods and conifers.” vesting all trees in a given section of forest at the same timehelpdefine the battle line to divide ecologists and timber interests on one of the nation’s hottest environmental issues. The statements were made recently by Senator Gale W. McGee (D-Wyo.), the leading Senate figure opposed to and Edward P errr Sp pe Ex clearcutting; Cliff, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, respectively. Resource Controversy With worrying over the state of the environment having become a national pastime, it was ali ost inevitable that those charged with the responsibility for protectingit would be caught up in what is viewed by some as misuse of America’s natural resources. Forits part, the Forest Service, whose first chief, Gifford Pinchot, projected the word “conservation”into the common vocabulary shortly after the turn of the century, is stung by accusations that its principal method of harvesting timber is, in McGee's words, “systematic ravishment of our forests.”” Much more than pride, however, is at in the controversy over clearcutting, which accounts for 61 per cent of the volume vf lumber cut in national forests in the Western United States. The special interest to the West in the issue is further emphasized by the fact that 80 per cent of the commercial forest land under Forest fashington and California cut enough timber to make them the first, second and fourth largest wood-producing states, Far-Reaching Bill ‘The chief legislative catalyst for those opposed'to clearcutting is a bill (S. 1592) introduced by Senator McGee which would establish an independent commission ‘to investigate and study the practices of clearcutting of timber and resources of the United States on federal land.” Interestingly, both of: California’s Democratic Senators, Alan Cranston ari John Tunney, are among cosponsors of the measure which would have far-reaching consequences for that state's timber industry if passed in its present form. The real hooker in the bill, which is before the Public Lands Subcommittee of the Senate Interior Committee, is a provision prohibiting clearcutting on federal ioe for two years while the conducts its investigation. An aide to McGee reports that the Chairman of the Subcommittee, Senator Frank Church (D-Idaho) has assured his Wyoming colleague that the bill will at least be approved by his group,but possibly minus the provision prohibiting clearcutting while the study is un- y Os TY Aba aoa Beautiful velvet corduroy Hat and Bag ensemble Gold, Deep Red, Purple, Avocado Hat $8.00 Bag $10.00 WINTER FASHION WITH A JUNIOR LOOK. Booth Length Velvet Coat, in colors of Eggplant and Royal Purple. Styled with the look of the ‘40s — for a High Fashion Look this Winter. Sizes 9 to 13. Priced at $50.00 Tapestry Skirt and Vest bring out the warm glow of fashion for this winter, in an imported fabric from Bel gium. .unior Sizes. Priced at $27. Ladies Accessories dept. Ladies Ready-To-WearDept. derway. Before the measure couldbe voted on by the Senate, however, it would still have to pass the full Interior Committ: 2, which is loaded with Western Senators. Economic Factor Since introduction of the McGee Dill in April, the groundswell of opposition to it has developed from government agencies and private timber interests. A Forest Service publication warned that a twoyear moratorium on clearcutting would result in a “najor economic crisis” in the Pacific Northwest where as much as 50 percentof the local economy is timber-based. “Nationally, housing programs, home builders, home buyers and associated housing oriented businesses and individuals face disaster,” the publication added. _ Such doomsday predictions invite the question: Precisely what has led McGee and others to support a dill with these potential consequences? One FROM OUR BOOT-TIQUE Boots laced ‘n tied, zipped, buckled, button’d!’ New heels, new toes! New curvy, swirvy tops! Boots that go to all lengths to please! In compliment-catching crinkled patent, in luscious leathers, and in softest suedes! Comesee! A. Black, Navy, Brown, in Stretch Crinkle Patent .... $18. Be BrOWOE BICICGONE 6 65's cteadlone coe ew nenvineed $25. GNPAGIEE TONG SUBUO 6c s:ciea si e eb 6 aie cee noire ore $40. DUA PEICUR GGT ci iu ser S a us Was ale eaivcceinng Sloe aire oiavere $20. answerno doubt was supplied by a Forest Service official who said “If you love the out-of-doors and come upon section of the forest that has been clearcut during the previous year or two, youareliable to have « stroke.It is awfully barren and awfully aly until the reforestation takes Notably, Senator McGee admits to suffering just such a shock three years ago until which by his own admission he was “only vaguely aware of the devastation happening to Wyoming's elat OPENTILL 9:00 P.M. EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT, PLENTY OF FREE SPACIOUS PARKING AYLOR’S DEPT. STORE 200 N. SECOND WEST |