[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 84 (Friday, May 19, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1080]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


              THE FOREST ECOSYSTEM STEWARDSHIP ACT OF 1995

                                 ______


                           HON. PAT WILLIAMS

                               of montana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 18, 1995
  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Forest 
Ecosystem Stewardship Demonstration Act of 1995. This legislation 
represents countless hours of work by folks in my district. It is based 
on the work done in the last Congress on the Forest Ecosystem 
Stewardship Demonstration Act of 1995. Folks in my district took that 
concept and incorporated the concerns of Forest Service officials, the 
comments of the American Foresters organization and the comments of 
business and conservationist leaders in Montana.
  The result of this hard work has been to produce a blue print of how 
we should go about assuring the health of the both our local forest and 
our local communities. This legislation is also a blueprint for those 
who are tired of the constant polarization that has become the hallmark 
of public lands debate. The entire process is based on the belief that 
through cooperation we can have wood for our mills and protection of 
our wild lands, but we can have neither unless we find ways to come 
together as friends and neighbors and agree on how to proceed.
  This legislation establishes a stewardship contracts process, under 
the guidance of a local stewardship council, that would identify 
opportunities for logging in areas of poor forest health. The 
legislation sets up both a standard and a recognition system to allow 
for logging to go forward and for the industry to gain credit for when 
its done right. This type of local involvement helps assure that 
appeals will not be filed and that when problems arise there is a 
process to get past the rhetoric that has so typified the discussion up 
till now.
  This proposal is only a demonstration project because we all agree 
that some confidence in our mutual goals must be demonstrated for this 
approach to achieve wide acceptance. This type of proposal sets on its 
head the old charge forward mentality that public planning has become 
and was raised to a new level in this sessions debate on salvage 
timber. Those approaches have produced no stability and no wood for the 
mills, this legislation prepared by traditional enemies will show us 
the way to a future of better harvest and stronger communities.
  Attached is a list of the advantages this type of approach affords 
the debate on the management of our national forest lands.

       Stewardship: Restoring the connections between the 
     community and the land; recognizing that healthy forests are 
     more likely in areas with healthy economies and healthy 
     societies; focusing on what's left in the forest, not what's 
     taken out; recognition of the logger/forest professional as 
     more than someone just taking trees of the forest--
     encouraging ``ownership''--doing your work out there like you 
     would do it on your own land; and Montana Logging Association 
     has establish Accredited Logger Program (ALP) to make 
     available stewardship training to loggers who wish to upgrade 
     and expand their skills.
       Collaboration: People from all points of view working 
     together to find solutions. This bill was brought to Pat by 
     Montana loggers, mills owners/operators, environmentalists, 
     interested citizens, etc. all coming together to find local 
     solutions to forest management issues; breath of fresh air--
     takes us beyond the age-old and very tiresome ``environment 
     vs. jobs'' rhetoric. Focussing on our common concerns, not 
     our differences.
       For whatever reason, there is a real lack of trust between 
     large segments of the public and public land managers. This 
     trust has to be rebuilt from the bottom up. There are no 
     quick fix solutions. This is just a start.
       Continuing dialogue at the local level is necessary to 
     rebuild that trust. That is one of the important reasons for 
     the local stewardship councils proposed.
       Flexibility: Local solutions are needed for local problems. 
     We have ample evidence that ``one size fits all'' management 
     doesn't work. Local conditions vary as much as forests vary.
       Stewardship contracts done under this legislation would 
     still have to comply with all federal environmental and other 
     legislation.
       The key is rewarding excellence. Incentives for loggers now 
     are based on doing a job at least cost, which encourages the 
     cutting of corners. By separating the stewardship activity 
     from the selling of logs, and compensating stewardship 
     contractors based on how well they treat the resources, we 
     are building in an incentive to do the best work possible.
       The accountability factor is very high. Lots of 
     accountability factors are included in the legislation, and 
     public involvement in stewardship project planning and 
     monitoring is encouraged and facilitated.
     

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