Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

Mr. Eberle. My name is David Eberle and I reside at 1003 North 19th Street, Boise, Idaho. I'm a private citizen who actively utilizes the Idaho Wildernesss area. As a young man I have grown up in these hills, actively back packing. In recent years I have increasingly come across evidence of poor lumbering practices, mining, and overgrazing near rivers. I have come to the conclusion that it is possible to take our natural abun dance and turn it into a barren wasteland. I think our current administration shows that it is possible, given the current legislation on the books, to further exploit the re maining wilderness area. Since you have chosen to take on this issue of designating wildernes area, I believe you have taken the shoes of Teddy Roosevelt. It becomes your decision, Senator and Representative, as to what our future generations will see in the State of Idaho. I, too, have met many people, from New Hampshire, Georgia, Florida, California, backpacking in our State. And what they say is 'How lucky you are and how foresighted your State is to have maintained these beautiful areas.' Yet, today, these areas are already becoming overcrowded. And Soon I believe that such areas of the Sawtooth Wilderness Trail system will need to be expanded greatly in order to accommodate the people. I do get concerned with the competition for our remaining re sources between industry and recreation. I get concerned about in dustry's attitudes. Being an economic student, I have studied often how industry responds to new legislation and laws. In today's paper, The Idaho Statesman, dated August 9, 1983