Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

Mr. Thank you, Senator McClure. Being an avid hunter, hiker, skier, nature photographer, the largest expanse of pristine wild areas have attracted me to Idaho. Having had much in my graduate training in college, I recognize that these areas not only allow myself and others to be a part of an undisturbed, natural Rope. community, but also provide the necessary requirements for these communities to continue; that is, a solitude from man's machinery and noises. The approximate 6.5 million acres of roadless areas under consideration, I support the recommendations by a number of conservation groups that a minimum of 50 percent of this acre ages be designated as wilderness. Included areas should be the Endangered Idaho Wilderness Core the conservationists will oppose in detail in October. I would also 751 like to see included the Diamond Peak, Mount Naomi, Warm Creek, Bear Creek, Italian Peaks, and the southern portion of the Pahsimeroi areas. I have hiked or have hunted much of the Palisades, Garns Moun tain and the Bear Creek and White Clouds areas, and have found them quite worthy of wilderness designation. All these areas in clude wildlife habitat and some magnificent scenery. In addition, several of these areas are close to the population in southeast Idaho. It has been suggested that Idaho already has enough wilder ness and needs no more. With that, I can't agree. I have hiked in the Sawtooths and River of No Return wildernesses a number of times. On each occasion I've been amazed and concerned by the number of people or horses seen there. This is certainly not an in dication of enough wilderness, but, rather, that more needs to be designated. The economic reasons for not wanting more wilderness does not seem substantiated, either. In terms of timber sales, there is pres ently a 3-year, 40-billion board feet backlog of timber nationwide; 1billion board feet backlog in Idaho alone. Also, according to the study of the National Resource Defense Council, the Challis, Salmon, Sawtooth, and Targhee National Forests consistently lost money on timber sales from 1974 through 1978. Other sources indi cate that deficit sales continued in Targhee National Forest. There is, however, an economic reason to increase the wilderness area, that being tourism, which is, from what I understand, the second largest income producer in the State. Certainly one of the reasons the people are coming to Idaho are its vast wild and scenic areas. Let's make sure we continue to have them. In addition, I urge you not to include hard release language in your legislation. Instead, include soft release language which will allow current roadless areas to continue roadless at the start of the next forest planning cycle. The importance of an intact ecosystem cannot be overemphasized, not only for the benefit of future gen erations to explore, study, and enjoy, but also, and primarily, for the benefit of the communities residing there. Let us not miss the opportunity to set aside enough wild America for increasing numbers of people that would want the opportunity to experience for themselves the way this country as a whole once was.