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Show IMWiyXwviiXvWlvlwfflwiyKitfvW'IWWWKvXwSi'iYAW F statements that the Forest Service should stay out of roadless areas, riparian areas and old growth forests. Unfortunately, the green wave has not yet swept over Utah's National Forests. The Dixie National Forest is an example of one Utah forest whose resource management strategy is still limited to extraction cutting, chopping, burning, bulldozing - the "abuse it or lose it" philosophy reigns supreme. Recent project proposals illustrate the timber beast in action. Dixie continues to plan resource exploitation with amazing insensitivity to roadless characteristics. Two upcoming projects, the Spruce Ecosystem Recovery Project (SERF) (a timber sale in disguise) and Dark Purple, trill shatter two of Dixie's remaining roadless areas. In "SERF," the Dixie proposes "aspen regeneration" and "timber sanitation in the previously inventoried Bunker Creek roadless area, over 8,000 acres of beautiful, virgin aspen groves and spruce forest. "SERF relies heavily on forest health justifications, claiming that the spruce beetle has swept through Bunko Creek making "sanitation" a necessity in spruce forests. On its face, a compelling justification. But the Dixie admits that the beetle outbreak is a cyclical event, occurring probably every 300 yean, "sanitation" will no stop the beetle outbreak, and the purpose of the "sanitation" is to recover the economic value of the spruce before they die. Sounds a lot like a routine timber sale. As for the aspen, "regeneration" is required because of the aspen's nature. The Dixie has (read: not revealed whether it plans on cutting or burning the aspen to save it Dark Purple sits high on Boulder Top. Not only is it a large, primarily roadless area on Dixie's Aquarius Plateau, but it serves as part of the Grand Staircase-EscalanNational Monument's headwaters. The Dixie has asserted similar justifications for Dark Purple beetle attacks, aspens. Dark Purple is still in the scoping phase, the project specifics have not yet been determined. Dixie's continual whittling away of remaining roadless areas jeopardizes core wildlife habitat and the future of potential wilderness areas. Many roadless areas have been fragmented since Dixie's last forest plan revision. SUWA promotes an accurate roadless and will continue efforts to topple the timber beast when it threatens area remaining roadless areas. -- "over-matur- Old-growt- h) e" te over-matu- re Jennifer Lupton is SUWA's representative in St or (c) The patterns of peregrine and aircraft use at Mineral Bottom show conclusively that aircraft use at Mineral Bottom has no effect on nearby nesting peregrines no further research is necessary. - If you guessed (c), then you should consider a career writing EAs for the BLM. News flash: In early July it was discovered that a nesting pair of peregrins had moved back into the Mineral Bottom eyrie. So if you guessed (a) then you should consider a career as a wildlife biologist. "Dead Goose" on Elk Ridge The Forest Service has released the draft EA for the "Dead Goose" project in the Deadman Point - Gooseberry Ranger Station area of Elk Ridge. The proposed project is a mixed bag of prescribed burns, timber sales, road closures, and road improvements. As a first step toward reducing the excessively high road density in the Abajos, the Forest Service is proposing to close quite a few jeep trails in the area. For this, they deserve praise and encouragement. See below for the address to write to. On the other hand, the Forest Service is also proposing to make some major improvements to the main roads. This would lead to increased traffic in the area, erasing many of the benefits of the road closures. The Forest Service also proposes to conduct commercial logging operations fin conjuction with the bums) in the Hammond Canyon roadless area. Please tell the Forest Service that they should avoid such activities in roadless areas. What you can do: Write to glenn Casamasa (yes, he prefers the small "g). District Ranger, USES, Box 820, Monticello, UT 84535. See above for the points to raise. George. Mineral Bottom Airstrip Approved. SUWA Appeals. The BLM has approved die Mineral Bottom airstrip (just north on Canyonlands National Park along the Green River) for commercial use. BLM's decision places no limits on the number of takeoffs and landings at the strip, and also leaves the door open for helicopter use. The BLM took years to prepare the environmental assessment (EA) for this action, so one might expect that the EA would be quite thorough and difficult to appeal In fact, the elements within the BLM have apparently conspired to opposite is true. EA minimal offers which a produce many grounds for appeal. SUWA has taken the hint and appealed the decision. Anti-airstr- ip PERSONAL CARTOON DISPLAY ADS For more information and rates, write the Zephyr at P.O. Box 327 Moab. UT 84532 (801)259-777-3 Grill House sssssssr American Western Food Its OK. No seed to hide the vomea sad children This is sot a picture of a death row serial killer with the new guidebook oa lethal iujectioa protocol. Its SUWAs Serious Kevia Walker vith his favorite aightime readiag matter the Code of Federal Regulatioat. Despite numerous comments urging the BLM to prevent increased overflight noise by keeping the airstrip closed, the EA virtually ignores the issue of overflight noise. The EA also contains some interesting reasoning regarding peregrine falcons. Back in the early 1990's, during a period of unauthorized commercial use of the strip, there was an active peregrine eyrie within one mile of the strip. At that time, the BLM reasoned that since use of the strip had not managed to drive the peregrines away, this use was not having an adverse impact on the peregrines. The peregrines apparently didn't concur with the BLM's reasoning, for by 1993 they had abandoned the eryie. In 1995, BLM put a stop to the unauthorized use of the strip, but in that same year they permitted some large-scal- e race. Peregrines commercial activity at Mineral Bottom associated with the did not resume use of the eyrie in 1995 or 1996. What conclusion does BLM draw from this history? Is it (a) One quiet year (1996) isn't long enough for peregrines to resume use of the Mineral Bottom eyrie; (b) The patterns of peregrine and aircraft use at Mineral Bottom are inconclusive, so other studies should be consulted to determine whether future commercial aircraft use of the strip is likely to have an adverse impact on peregrines; ge PATIO DINING 1393 N. 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