Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

FOREST INDUSTRY COUNCIL Mr. Hinson. I am Joe Hinson, executive director, Idaho Forest Industry Council for the association that represents the timber industry in the State. This is an issue in which the fact can be somewhat misleading, as I'm sure you know, Senator. Nuances of multiple use, sustained yield, timber under contract, allowable harvests are all somewhat mind-boggling. I think we oftentimes confuse the public when we use those terms. So, I'd like to cut through some of that and talk just in a very general sense about what this is all about. We provide about 20,000 people in good years in the State of Idaho. We provide about 25 percent of the total amount of our economic base, and we're a significant factor in maintaining secondary industries: Retail and wholesale trade, services, real estate, finance, and in-State tourism. In short, we feel we are very vital to the State's economy. We are almost totally dependent upon timber from the National forests. The national forests probably own 75 percent of all the commercial mature timber in the State, and unless that agency sells its fair share, our industry is virtually doomed. There is no real alternative source. Private lands amount to about 15 percent of the total commercial land ownership in this State. 41 The Forest Service sales program has been reduced over the past decade. It is now further jeopardized with the ninth circuit court of appeals decision which provides a perfect bullet-proof avenue to an appeal.