Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

Ms. Roth. Hi, my name is Char Roth. Thanks for the opportuni ty to speak for wilderness. I wish I had the same opportunity to speak out for pro-choice, but so I was insured that I was listened to, but I will give you a letter about that issue later on. I strongly support the following areas as wilderness in the Payette Crest region: Rapid River, French Creek, Lick Creek North, and South, Gospel Hump and Council Mountain. Each offers positive economic benefits of wilderness and high recreation al values. Although Rapid River and French Creek contain high timber and wilderness values, I question development costs that could exceed timber value due to assessibility and low productivity. Why does wilderness always have to be used for and by people? If we continue to exploit these lands through excessive logging and mining practices, as done in the past 20 years, future generations will not have the freedom to go to wild places. It's hard to imagine not having a place to go for solitude, that wilderness state of mind. I go to Rapid River every spring to see my favorite wildflowers. I think that we need to protect not only the narrow strip of that river, but also the surrounding beauties, the grassy mountainsides that look like moose and bear paradise, rocky craigs and overhangs where the cliff swallows nest, brilliantly colored wildflower mead ows, and rattlesnake boulder homes. Lick Creek North covers an area east — that's located east of the South Fork of the Salmon and bordered to the east by Secesh River. There are 60 inspirational lakes that can be destroyed by unsta ble soils and erosion from logging, thus degrading fisheries where there are critical spawning beds for salmon. The powerful Secesh River and the Loon Mountains offer prime habitat for big game. I know what wilderness means to me. I think of last week's back pack trip and know that I really can drink from Big Creek and that we really did see a salmon fight its way upstream to spawn. I really could taste oysters in Bluebell leaves and watch an elk crash down a pine ridge.