[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 69 (Thursday, May 16, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E834]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 THE COLVILLE NATIONAL FOREST ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT OF TIMBER RESOURCES 
                                  ACT

                                 ______


                     HON. GEORGE B. NETHERCUTT, JR.

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 16, 1996

  Mr. NETHERCUTT. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the Colville 
National Forest Adaptive Management of Timber Resources Act. The 
intermountain west and, in particular, a portion of my district in 
eastern Washington State, are plagued by unhealthy, overstocked 
forests.
  These unhealthy forests are susceptible to catastrophic fires of such 
intensity that they cook the forest soil and leave the forest floor 
lifeless. The threat of such disasters lies in the broad expanses of 
forest stands that are densely overstocked with small-diameter trees of 
low vigor. They are highly susceptible to insects and disease, as well 
as fire. These stands have become that way in part because they have 
not been managed and because the lower-intensity fires that are 
nature's way of forest management have been suppressed.
  The recently completed 5-year CROP--CReating OPportunities--study 
commissioned by the U.S. Forest Service on the Colville National Forest 
starkly portrays the dimensions of the problem and also points the way 
toward solutions. This study, conducted during 1989 through 1994, found 
that more than 525,000 acres of the Colville, or just under half its 
total land base, had been burned between 1910 and 1934. Of the forest 
stands generated from these burned acres, 96 percent now have a poor to 
fair vigor rating, and 42 percent have a moderate to high hazard rating 
for mountain pine beetle infestation. The productivity of these stands 
is declining. Insects and disease contribute to the heavy fuel load on 
these acres, increasing the probability of catastrophic fire requiring 
a major reforestation effort. Of these fire-generated stands, 86 
percent are allocated for emphasis on timber management.
  The CROP study determined that thinning these stands would improve 
vigor, reduce risk, and ultimately create greater stand diversity. 
There is a 10- to 20-year window of opportunity before the insect 
hazard becomes significantly worse and the chances for a positive 
response to thinning diminish. Market opportunities presently exist for 
the small-diameter trees that would be removed in thinning.
  In drafting the Colville National Forest Adaptive Management of 
Timber Resources Act, I have taken the results of the CROP study, 
emphasized the need and demand for scientifically based and 
environmentally acceptable results, and recognized the ongoing 
substantial reduction in Forest Service funds and trained personnel.
  The Colville is a logical place to begin this research because the 
CROP study has already laid the groundwork, especially in terms of 
resource inventory and assessment. It would take more preparation time 
to begin the same project elsewhere.
  Upon enactment, a 10-year research and experimentation effort will 
begin on the Colville that is intended to conserve natural resources 
without locking them up; provide answers applicable throughout the 
intermountain west; reduce waste of resources; shift activities from 
the declining public employees sector to the private sector for savings 
in cost and efficiency; and help balance the budget by generating 
revenues from federal assets without increasing expenditures.
  The act requires the Secretary of Agriculture to prepare a research 
plan and supporting environmental documents that provide for 
implementing and evaluating controlled silvicultural treatment in the 
affected areas. The purpose of the research is to test the effect of 
adaptive management techniques in the treatment of such forest stands.
  The research area is approximately 110,000 acres of the Colville 
National Forest. These acres are overstocked, small-diameter, stagnated 
forest stands in areas generated from fire up to 80 years ago. Research 
is to begin by the second full field season after enactment, but a 
demonstration project covering perhaps 10,000 acres can begin as soon 
as a preliminary draft of the research plan is complete. The research 
is to continue over a 10-year period, with roughly equal amounts of 
acreage to be treated each year. Monitoring of the research is to 
continue for 15 years, with detailed reports of findings and 
implications to be submitted to Congress at 5-year intervals.
  The research will be paid for from a combination of the proportionate 
funds available for the research area through the normal Forest Service 
budget and 50 percent of the revenues generated from sales of forest 
products removed pursuant to the scientific research. Counties will 
receive their normal 25 percent share of revenue generated by research 
sales.
  The Secretary of Agriculture will be able to use private contractors 
for the preparation, implementation, and monitoring of the research. He 
might choose to involve the Center for Sustainable Eastern Washington 
Ecosystems which was substantially involved in the CROP study that 
underlies this research. To the greatest extent practicable, the 
Secretary is to use private contractors from communities adversely 
affected by reductions in Forest Service timber sales.
  Mr. Speaker, 10 to 15 years may sound like a long time for research, 
monitoring, and broad application of the research finds. But the amount 
of time is very short before we must begin to deal with the problem of 
overstocked and underconserved forests. I urge all of my colleagues who 
despair of the soil-sterilizing large fires that have plagued our 
forests too often in recent years to join me in support of this bill 
and help get this vital scientific research underway.

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