Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

Ms. Brudenell. Senator McClure and Congressman Craig, my name is Ingrid Brudenell and I'm a resident of Boise. Thank you for the opportunity to express my support for the conservation of Idaho's roadless, undeveloped national forest lands. Approximately 92 percent of Idaho lands do not have wilderness classification and is opened to development and exploration. How ever, we are fortunate to have nearly 3.8 million acres of designat ed wilderness and the possibility of adding additional acres. We have the chance to protect pristine areas where elk, deer, and other wildlife can live undisturbed, where man is a visitor. We can protect roadless areas which are rich with a diversity of geolo gy, plant, and animal life. We can conserve these lands by protect ing them with congressional designation as wilderness. I support legislation which includes the endangered Idaho wilder ness core, which I have identified in my written testimony. The recommendations from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game of critical plant and animal habitat areas and those initial areas iden tified by conservation groups. Legislation should include soft release language, which would allow further study of areas which are deleted at this time. Even with the expected proposal from sportsmen and conservationists, over one-half of the roadless national forest lands will be available for development. I think it is important to preserve our national wilderness lands which remain. They are a part of our heritage and a legacy to pass on to our children. Thank you.