OCR Text |
Show 9 News 9 r 9 SOUTHERN UTAH NEWS WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 1W7 Sidney logging area opens to firewood cutting Designated sites within the Sidney Valley Timber Sale area will be opened to the public for firewood gathering over the Labor Day weekend and during the month of September, announced Cedar City District Ranger Ron Wilson. Beginning August 30, and continuing through September 30, individuals with permits may collect firewood in the Sidney Timber Sale area. . Wilson stated, Firewood gathering has been prohibited in this area previously due to ongoing logging operations. Loggingwill continue to be active while the firewood area is open, but the collection of firewood will be restricted to certain areas in order to avoid conflicts with logging that may be hazardous. There may also be Forest Service personnel present to direct individuals to gathering areas. The type of wood available is primarily Englemann spruce. Firewood gatherers will be expected to purchase a permit prior to cutting. We expect people will obey the law, but the area will be checked and tickets will be issued to violators. said Wilson. In the Sidney logging area, only the cutting of DOWN DEAD wood will be permitted; the cutting of standing green or dead will be prohibited. Wilson commented that,Standingdead trees are important for wildlife habitat and are being left for that purpose. Wilson further stated, There will be decks of logs that are being removed as part of the logging sale, it should be understood that the cutting of decked, or stacked, logs is also prohibited. Several hazards exist in the Sidney logging area. Firewood gatherers should watch and listen at all times to make it a safe experience. Log truck traffic, heavy equipment operating, falling trees, and other logging activity may be encountered. In addition, both dead and live standing trees may blow over by the wind. Weve had a lot of folks interested in collecting firewood from the slash in logging areas. Opening this area to fuelwood gathering will help us clean it up and provide an easily accessible location for those looking to collect firewood, stated Wilson. Personal use fuelwood gathering permits can be purchased at the three cord minimum for $15 from the Cedar City Ranger District, Dixie National Forest. The offices are located at 82 N 100 E, Cedar City, Utah: office 8 a.m. hours are Monday-Frida- 5 p.m. Permits can also be purchased at the Duck Creek Visitor Center seven days a week until September 7th, when the Visitor Center closes for the season. Maps of the area and tags The high wire trapeze was one of the higNights from last weeks Culpepper will be issued with the purchase and Merriweather Circus. SUN photo. of a permit. For more information contact the Cedar City Ranger District at 82 N 100 E, or P.O. Box 0627. Cedar City. Utah 84720; or call (801) y, Available at Duke's 865-320- 0. Professor worries that may cause harm to National Parks Eco-Touris- University of Utah professor Linda Ralston worries about the rising numbers of tourists in wilderness areas who arent careful about the impacts they have on nature. Campers and hikers who unknowingly disturb sensitive ecosystems or leave behind harmful waste could wreak irreversible havoc, she says. Ten times as many tourists go to national parks and wilderness areas compared to the number who go to amusement parks, says Ralston, who teaches in the Us department of parks, recreation and tourism. Tourism is the third-largeindustry in the it is and growing by leaps country and bounds. So, this is something we must consider. Ralston told more than 100 teenagers in a lecture series at Family Dept. Store ts 39 Mon-S- at air conditioning, marble floors ists at the national parks in and laundry services-woulnot Utah. Students were asked to be a preferred site for true identify what the visitors were Winter hours - 9 am to 6 pm d eco-touris- ts, she says. Luxurious amenities and do not coincide, she is important that a also says. It true operation incorporate a good citizen component for their program. That provides tourists with more than a sightseeing or pure adventure experience. She also showed slides oftour eco-touris- eco-touris- m m doing that could have an adverse effect on the surroundings. ireyjis They also were asked to recall their own behavior and identify a list of things young people should do or not do when visiting a wilderness area," she says. See ECO-TOURIST- Huge Page 15 S, Selection Easy to Find Save Time & Money Friendly People the National Youth Science Camp this summer that m" is much more than traveling to wilderness areas. old science eamp is The held in the Moncgehela Na34-ye- Center Kanab, UT 84741 8 am to 10 pm - st eco-touris- W. ar tional Forest near Berstow, West Virginia. she says, is a trip dedicated to learning about a Eco-touris- peculiar culture and history, while producing economic benefits to the locals and taking care not to harm natural resources. A vacation spot claiming to be ecologically sound-bu- t boasting Buy of the Year r Name Address 1500 Sq. Ft. Quality Stick Built 3 Bedroom, 2 Bath Home Tbrn Key on 12 Acre Call Eddy Builders 644-542- 2 Win a Cancun Trip for Z CityStateCountry Phone L. At departs from Las Vegas - Drawing on December 24, 1997 |