Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

Mr. Bowler. Thank you, Senator McClure. I am Bruce Bowler, 1111 Shaw Mountain Road, Boise, Idhao. The Kelly Creek drainage in the Clearwater National Forest should definitely be classified wilderness because of the special westslope cutthroat fishery and the important need for watershed quality control for wildlife indigenous to the area. These values far exceed those of timber harvest. The White Clouds and North Lemhis in the Challis National Forest should also have wilderness protection because they have special natural qualities that need good Federal stewardship to ad minister the public trust for the use and benefit of future genera tions unspoiled by logging and mining. The Payette Crest has wilderness qualities that needs classifica tion to protect its vital watershed, particularly for steelhead and salmon fisheries including the South Fork of the Salmon River. Steel Mountain and the Trinities in the Boise National Forest should not be left out of Idaho wilderness as having quality habi tats for wildlife and watershed protection for our irrigation systems which are irreparably damaged by logging. 329 I have personal familiarity with all of these areas along with others too numerous to mention within the time restraints but which deserve consideration for wilderness classification. Rush to judgment now for hard release of nonclassified wilder ness, foreclosing future options is a wrong concept. Why should this generation assume paramount wisdon? There are many children and grandchildren that should have some options left for them to decide about opportunities for wilderness retentions. The small amount of Idaho yet available for wilderness with 6V2 million acres now roadless is only 12.3 percent of Idaho's 52,989,000 acres and should prompt caution for hard release. They are not making any more of the wilderness that gives Idaho much of its unique quality of life, making our State the best place to live. De struction of original wilderness is forever. We should not be beholden to barons of traditional forest prod ucts industries to now foreclose future options for wilderness and give them subsidies in roading wilderness-type public lands which should be held in reserve. The economy produced from outdoor recreation is just as good as the depleting economy from timber and mining. Thank you, Senator McClure.