Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

SOCIETY Mr. Blair. Senator McClure and Congressman Craig, my name is Chuck Blair. And I'm speaking on behalf of the Idaho chapter of the Wildlife Society. The Wildlife Society is an international organization of profes sional wildlife biologists with approximately 200 members in the Idaho chapter. As the outcome of these proceedings likely represents the last op portunity to make decisions concerning the fate of Idaho's remain ing 6.5 million acres of roadless forest lands we, as professional wildlife biologists, support the National Wildlife Federation's pro posal, proposal 4 from your newsletter, the addition of 4.5 million acres of wilderness to the wilderness preservation system. I will briefly touch on the highlights of our written testimony here. 352 The primary reason for our support of proposal 4 is that it en compasses the preservation of entire ecosystems. All the other pro posals seek to preserve only disjointed parcels of land. One of the key principles of ecology is that healthy ecosystems function prop erly only when left intact. Proposal 4 seeks to preserve the integri ty of entire systems. The preservation of endangeed species such as the woodland cari bou is totally dependent on maintaining its habitat as part of a complete, functioning system. We will eventually lose the caribou and other endangered species in Idaho if preservation of their habi tat is not adequate. Protecting the integrity of entire watersheds also maintains the excellent fishery resources and high water quality we now enjoy in Idaho. Tourism is the second most important industry in the State. People come from around the world to backpack in the Sawtooths or float down the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. Tourists can go anywhere in the west to see deficit timber sales and logging roads, but they come to Idaho to enjoy a wilderness ex perience. And they will continue to come to Idaho only — excuse me, in ever-increasing numbers only if we have something unique to offer them. We in Idaho have a system of values we use to judge our quality of life; a life centered around the enjoyment of vast acreages of un spoiled land. If we do not see fit here and now to preserve adequate acres of wildlands where man is but a temporary visitor rather than a despoiler of nature, this quality of life we hold so dear will be severely diminished. Thank you.