Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

Mr. Quale. My name is Mel Quale from Twin Falls. Because my hobby is trailbike riding, I've spent over the past 20plus years a good amount of time riding the high country of our national forests. I'm personally familiar with a fair amount of the central and southern Idaho RARE II areas. I come to you, Senator McClure, Members of the Senate commit tee, and to the Congress with this plea: Don't classify as wilderness every high mountain lake, every smooth or rocky ridge, every meadow, every waterfall. Trailbike recreationists appreciate these treasures too. After all, I go to the national forests on my motorcy cle for a different form of the exact same experience the hiker does. Let's together find a way to carefully use and enjoy our national forests while protecting and enhancing their lasting values. There are alternatives to wilderness. A case in point: We have in the White Clouds under the Saw tooth National Recreation area what I call neowilderness. I prefer it because it protects the resource while allowing means to partici pate in recreation. There are several advantages to not designating additional wil derness within the SNRA. For example, a neowilderness bench mark; just as wilderness is purported to provide a bench mark, the White Clouds could serve as a neowilderness bench mark. And then one final comment: If it's not broke, don't fix it. Con gress frequently gets itself and the country into trouble by failing to leave decent legislation alone. The Sawtooth NRA, while per haps not perfect, is working. I urge Congress to make the decision not to designate more wilderness within the SNRA; 10 years of neowilderness has worked in the White Clouds. Let's leave well enough alone. Thank you.