[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 16 (Thursday, February 26, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E242-E243]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          NATIONAL FOREST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES NEED ATTENTION

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BOB SCHAFFER

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 26, 1998

  Mr. BOB SCHAFFER of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, the health of the national 
forests in the west and the economies of rural western communities are 
at risk from current national forest management practices. Severe 
threats from fire, insects and disease endanger the forests and the 
health, happiness and well-being of the citizens of Colorado. While 
properly utilized timber harvests can effectively contribute to 
restoring the health of forests, timber programs on the national 
forests have been almost completely eliminated in Colorado.
  There has been an unprecedented increase in the annual net growth of 
national forests since the turn of the century. Historical records and 
studies of paired ``then and now'' photographs suggest that the growth 
potential of timber has been consistently and seriously underestimated. 
Many scientists believe that Colorado has more, and older, trees now 
than at any time in recorded history.
  It is well established that healthy forests have a diversity of age 
classes and successional stages. However, our forests have changed with 
the passage of time. Decreased use of our resources appears to have 
resulted in the overgrowth of shade-tolerant understory plant species, 
the overload of forest fuels, increased numbers of trees, and, 
alarmingly, a

[[Page E243]]

decrease in overall forest diversity. Increased forest volume and 
denser canopies cause more rain and snow to evaporate into the 
atmosphere before reaching the forest floor. That evaporation leads to 
a decrease in available water supplies for threatened and endangered 
species, drinking water and agricultural supplies.
  Insect outbreaks and large, intense fires are becoming more common 
and more severe on these dense, homogeneous forests. Currently, 20-30 
million acres of National Forests are susceptible to catastrophic 
wildfires. As suburban populations migrate further away from the 
cities, forest fires consume more property and, tragically, more lives. 
Those fires also cause serious air and water quality problems. In the 
wake of destructive fires, erosion and flooding contribute to the 
degradation of mountain streams, and ultimately, to our water supplies.
  Mr. Speaker, the health and capacity of forests is directly related 
to the volume of timber harvested. Without harvesting, thinning or 
prescribed burns, timber inventory accumulates to the point where 
growth is impeded, and stands become susceptible to wildfires, beetle 
infestations and disease. Timber harvests add valuable and essential 
resources to the economy while reducing the potential for catastrophic 
fires by eliminating dangerously high levels of fuels. While many 
advocate the use of prescribed fires, without the complement of timber 
harvests, even those fires may have detrimental side effects. For 
example, prescribed burns often destroy economically viable and 
renewable resources while violating air quality and visibility 
standards.
  In recent times, the U.S. Forest Service has shifted away from their 
mission of multiple uses and sustained yield. Competing public 
interests push the Forest Service to a management style motivated not 
by sound policy, but by fear of special interest backlash. Management, 
it seems, is controlled not by what is best for the forest, but by what 
interest group protests the loudest. Meanwhile, timber budgets and 
timber sales decline and administrative costs escalate. Directing funds 
away from timber budgets negates Forest Management plans, undermines 
public input into the process, and harms the forest ecosystem. Such 
impediments to the Forest Service mission have resulted in a de facto 
policy of reduced management, increased risk of wildfires, and 
deteriorating forest health.
  Better national forest timber programs are essential to the proper 
stewardship of America's forests and to the health, condition and 
integrity of the environment. Accordingly, I strongly urge my 
colleagues and the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service to support proper 
harvest management tools to ensure better forest health throughout the 
country. Moreover, I urge the Congress to support the Rocky Mountain 
Regional Forester's strategy to reverse the decline of forest 
management programs and to reach a more effective program level by the 
year 2000. Finally, I implore all of my colleagues in the House of 
Representatives to support Congressional efforts to improve efficiency, 
effectiveness, and accountability in the management of our national 
forests.

                          ____________________