Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

Mr. Meyer. Senator McClure, I will submit more specific comments to your office at a later date. My name is Greg Meyer. I'm a resident of rural Benewah County where I work in the woods as a tree planter on splashing jobs and just generally going in after logging operations to begin the often unsuccessful job of reforestation. In my occupation, I see first hand the results of what are supposedly improved timber harvesting practices. Selective cutting is not a common practice. I encourage you to go and see for yourself. Go on a rainy day. Watch the streams and creeks Idaho's famous for turn brown with precious top soil washed down from clearcuts. Throw your fishing line in that murky water and see what you come up with. It's undeniable we have made grave, perhaps irreversible, mistakes in our management of natural resources in this Nation. We continue to hear claims that we need more timber. Meanwhile, landfills all over this country are used in the burying of perfectly useable lumber from demolished buildings. We are a wasteful people. But we can change. 337 RARE II gave North Idaho Systems the opportunity to support or oppose added wilderness designations in the Panhandle Forest. Respondants came out in support of designating as wilderness most of the acreage under consideration. Comments were never solicited from other U.S. citizens who along with you and I are the caretakers of our great national forests. I support inclusion of all remaining untouched roadless areas in the Federal wilderness system. We owe this to our children and those who will care for this funny little mixed up world. Enough is enough.