[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15914]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING PETER J. HANLON

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES H. TAYLOR

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 14, 2004

  Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, on Saturday evening, July 
3, 2004, Peter J. Hanlon died at the age of 98. A resident of 
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, Hanlon was supervisor of North Carolina's 
national forests for 10 years before retiring from the U.S. Forest 
Service in 1970 after 36 years of distinguished service.
  Hanlon's career with the Forest Service began in the 1930s on the 
Allegheny National Forest. His career was then briefly interrupted by 
service in the region's CCC camps. Prior to dissolution of these camps 
Hanlon was superintendent of CCC Camp Thornwood in Pocahontas County, 
WV. As World War II began, Hanlon rejoined the Forest Service in the 
capacity of forest ranger for the Greenbrier Ranger District on West 
Virginia's Monongahela National Forest, as well as staff officer for 
Virginia's George Washington National Forest and the regional forester 
in Upper Darby.
  As Supervisor of North Carolina's national forests, Hanlon frequently 
advocated for sustainable land use practices that accommodated 
recreational activities, wildlife habitats, timber harvests and general 
preservation. His belief that the land could and should be used in a 
responsible manner, balancing these practices, allowed him to ensure 
that no single interest outweighed or endangered another. Even as he 
believed in preservation, he understood the benefits of well-managed 
clear cutting and neither interest was ever allowed to jeopardize equal 
land use. Throughout his 35 year retirement, Hanlon continued to echo 
these noble principles.
  Not only did Hanlon manage land use with exceptional expertise, he 
also secured the expansion of North Carolina's national forests by 
acquiring new lands. The most notable acquisition was that of the 
Nantahala River Gorge. Hanlon's role in creating the Cradle of 
Forestry, a museum located off U.S. 276, just south of the Blue Ridge 
Parkway, was pivotal and earned him an honorary doctorate degree from 
the Biltmore School of Forestry. In 1970, then Governor Terry Sanford 
designated Hanlon as North Carolina's Conservationist of the Year. This 
recognition only enhances his legacy as a celebrated figure of North 
Carolina's rich history.

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