Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

COMMISSION Mr. Parker. Thank you, Senator. I'm Rod Parker, employee of the department of fish and game. I appreciate the opportunity to present the views of the Fish and Game Commission on the re maining roadless areas of Idaho and potential wilderness legisla tion. The position of the Idaho Fish and Game Commission is that roadless areas having highly significant fish, wildlife, or hunting and fishing values should be classified as wilderness if wilderness is the best means fo protecting those values. Our recommendations to this committee on the Forest Service RARE II recommendations of 1979 and for a possible State wilderness bill are essentially the same. Review of our 1979 position did not result in recommending any additional roadless areas for wilderness. However, the past 4 years have seen additional instances where fish and wildlife values have been diminished by construction of roads into previously unroaded areas, strengthening our conviction that the few remaining areas with exceptionally high fish or wildlife values must have wil derness classification to retain these qualities. In the national forests emphasized at this particular hearing, the commission specifically recommends the roadless areas designated as Borah Peak in the Challis National Forest. This area is that seg ment of the Big Lost River Range between Double Springs Pass near Dickey and Pass Creek Summit near Leslie. It is a unique subalpine unit superimposed on a high desert environment with little or no transitional zoning. Two bighorn sheep releases were 700 made in the 1960's resulting in a population which now numbers approximately 200. It is ideal bighorn habitat and ancestrally sup ported a large population. It also supports a remnant mountain goatherd and substantial deer and elk populations. The lower ele vations also support antelope. Specific recommendations for wilderness areas in the other na tional forests will be or have been presented by other members of the Idaho Fish and Game Commission at hearings held at the other locations in Idaho. The recommendations statewide are for 11 roadless areas or por tions thereof which total 558,782 acres. The commission also takes the position that any State wilderness bill should not included the so-called hard release wording. Road less areas not classed as wilderness should come under the ongoing planning process fo the various national forests and considered for allocation to one of the many nonwilderness forest management prescriptions. This is extremely important for fish and wildlife resources, be cause there are a number of prescriptions that retain roadless characteristics without the necessity of legislative wilderness classi fication. However, when plans are revised in the future, wilderness should be available as an option if roadless status has not proved adequate. Therefore, if release wording prohibits future considerations of wilderness classification, the commission then recommends that certain roadless areas listed by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game be assigned to the separate category of further planning as outlined under the RARE II procedures. Mr. Chairman, the commission has judiciously considered the State's remaining roadless areas and the implications of a State wilderness bill. The selected few areas which are endorsed for wil derness bill. The selected few areas which are endorsed for wilder ness classification have strong justification based on extremely im portant fish, wildlife, or hunting and fishing values. Thank you.