[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 12 (Tuesday, February 4, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S937-S938]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             MIKE DOMBECK, CHIEF OF THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I rise today to echo the words of Senator 
Bumpers regarding national forest policy and to welcome Mike Dombeck as 
Chief of the U.S. Forest Service. The Forest Service is one of the 
oldest and one of the largest stewards of our public lands. This year 
marks the 100th anniversary of the Organic Act in which Congress laid 
out the purposes for our national forests. Since the Forest Service was 
created in 1905, it has grown to manage over 190 million acres of 
forest lands. These lands span the entire United States, ranging from 
the small national forests of the East to the multimillion-acre forests 
of the West. The mission of the Forest Service is to manage all of 
these forests under the principles of multiple use and sustained yield. 
As Gifford Pinchot, the first Forest Service Chief, declared in 1905, 
the role of the Forest Service was to achieve ``the greatest good for 
the greatest number in the long run.'' This mandate still stands today 
and should guide us into the next century of national forest 
management.
  As the Green Mountain National Forest in my State begins review of 
its forest plan, the Pinchot vision is what I would like to see the 
Forest Service follow. The challenges facing the Green Mountain in many 
ways reflect the challenges facing the Forest Service as we move into 
the next century--increased recreational use, pressure to increase 
timber production, and protection of the forest's wildlife habitat, 
streams, and wilderness areas. Over the last decade we have witnessed a 
boom in recreational use of the Green Mountain, with more than 1.5 
million visitors using the forest for skiing, hiking, hunting, 
snowmobiling, and fishing. All of our national forests together host 
over 820 million visits a year.
  Although visitor use is a valuable indication of the importance of 
these national forests, we must not forget the equally compelling 
reason to protect these national treasures. They represent some of our 
Nation's most unique ecosystems, from the tropical rainforests in the 
South, the alpine meadows of the Rocky Mountains, the coastal redwoods 
of the Pacific coast, and the hardwood forests in the East. This 
network of forests preserves natural resources for scientific, 
educational, and historical values. New scientific information and 
advances in technology have allowed us to improve the management of our 
forests to protect these values. I applaud Chief Dombeck's call for 
increased use of available technology, enhanced conservation education, 
and insistence on personal accountability to protect these natural 
resources.
  At the same time, the resources available to the Forest Service to 
move our national forests into the next century must keep pace with the 
demands. The Forest Service is developing joint business ventures and 
cooperative agreements with both public and private partners to address 
this situation. It has looked to its neighbors to share in the 
responsibility and caretaking of the forests. It has reached out to 
private enterprises to operate facilities and develop viable business 
ventures to provide quality recreational opportunities while ensuring 
ecosystem protection.

  In Vermont, the Green Mountain National Forest has worked with 
numerous volunteer organizations to maintain and develop campgrounds 
and trails in the forest. The Green Mountain also has been 
participating in a cooperative effort with the University of Vermont to 
develop a database of resource information to analyze different 
management scenarios in the forest. I appreciate Chief Dombeck's 
recognition of the value of these multipartner projects in reaching out 
to the communities who live near our national forests.
  Although some people feel that these increasing pressures and 
sometimes conflicting demands on our national forests is reason to 
completely overhaul the laws that govern our forests, I believe that 
these laws are sound. When the National Forest Management Act [NFMA] 
was drafted in the mid-1970's there was a crisis facing the management 
of our forest, the competing interests of timber production and forest 
conservation were colliding. That environment created what I believe is 
a law that offers the flexibility, public participation, and 
accountability necessary to guide our national forests into the next 
century.

[[Page S938]]

  The responsibility of guiding our national forests into the next 
century lays on the shoulders of both the Chief and the many employees 
who serve him. The relationship between the Chief, Forest Service 
employees, and the public will become increasingly important as the 
demands on the National Forest System continue to grow and diversify. I 
have great admiration for the traditions and mission of the Forest 
Service; I have confidence that it has the statutory and administrative 
ability to maintain the balance between multiple-use and sustained 
yield management of our forests; I have respect for the knowledge and 
skills of the people that work for the Forest Service; but, I also have 
concerns that as the Agency faces the pressure to maintain timber 
production and expand recreational opportunities we could compromise 
the debt we owe to our children--conserving these forests for their use 
and enjoyment.
  As the 14th Chief of the Forest Service, Chief Dombeck will have to 
lead the Agency through the swirling debate on how to manage our 
forests for multiple-use while protecting them for future generations. 
I believe Chief Dombeck has the vision and leadership ability to 
achieve this goal. I welcome the opportunity to work with him to 
implement his philosophy of collaborative stewardship and 
accountability to the public as a whole and to the direct neighbors of 
the national forests. Chief Dombeck has already laid out some changes 
to move in this direction. I urge my colleagues in Congress to work 
with Chief Dombeck to pursue changes that will enable the Forest 
Service to address the growing demands on our forests.
  I do not see anybody seeking recognition, Mr. President, so I suggest 
the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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