[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 1793]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE OTTAWA NATIONAL FOREST

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BART STUPAK

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 14, 2006

  Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a northern Michigan 
natural phenomenon that will be celebrating its 75th Anniversary of 
restoring the natural beauty and resources of Michigan's Upper 
Peninsula (U.P.). This year the Ottawa National Forest will celebrate 
75 years of service but an endless impact on the vibrant habitat.
  During the early 1900's, loggers flocked to Michigan's western U.P. 
to take advantage of what seemed to be an endless supply of pine trees. 
Used for fuel, paper products and the timber necessary to build cities 
like Detroit and Chicago, the once lush, vast forests were gutted and 
left as a desolate wasteland by the late 1920's.
  In 1931 the fate of that land would change forever when President 
Herbert Hoover signed a proclamation establishing the Ottawa National 
Forest as a means of reviving the barren forest. Seventy-five years 
later, the restoration of the Ottawa National Forest has been described 
as a true success story.
  Now managed for multiple uses, the Ottawa National Forest provides 
many products and services based on its mission of caring for the land 
and serving people. The Ottawa National Forest also provides a great 
economic impact to the region. It supplies local communities both with 
wood products as well as jobs. Additionally, the Ottawa National Forest 
is an incredible draw for tourism with such recreational activities as 
hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, boating and snowmobiling to name a 
few.
  Mr. Speaker, the success of the Ottawa National Forest in 
revitalizing the cherished natural resource of Michigan's western Upper 
Peninsula pine forests is a shining example of how effective a mission 
carried out over time and the implementation of sensible management 
practices can make such a significant impact in the world.
  I ask the United States House of Representatives to join me in 
congratulating the Ottawa National Forest employees from past and 
present on 75 years of living the proud tradition of the Forest Service 
mission and wish them all the best in the future toward another 
successful 75 years.

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