Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

Mr. Adams. Senator McClure, my presentation is from a historical perspective. The barren islands of Greece were once heavily covered with forests. Surely similar issues were discussed and con322 sidered in that democracy some 2,500 years ago long before that last log was cut by the last woodsmen for the last ship build from the last good timber of that ancient land. They then proceeded to removed the forests of the coast of Africa with similar enthusiasm permitting the Sahara a firmer foothold on that now-desolate land. What have we learned from this and hundreds of other similar experiences? We've learned that we're not really good at learning the lessons of history. Granted, of late we've replaced the meat ax for the surgeon's scalpel. And that helps. But it's not enough to maintain a primevil forest in its initial splendor. Gibbons in 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire' wrote: 'History is, indeed, little more than the register of the follies of misfortunes of mankind.' We failed miserably to listen to the voices of the past. Let's listen to the voices of the future. Let's see if we can't change the direction of history just a little. Let's keep wilderness wilderness. Thank you.