Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

Mr. Robinson. I would like to briefly speak to the growing discussions on designations other than wilderness. You have stated that you haven't received sufficient evidence on why certain areas should be placed in the wildness system as of now. The answer is simple. The areas being proposed for wilderness by conservationists has high wilderness characteristics. However, there is another reason why we believe that wilderness protection is the only certain way these areas will be protected, and why no lesser designation, particularly administrative, will do. The reason is that this administration, in our opinion, more than anyone in recent memory has changed the direction of Forest Service management. The administration's 1984 as well as 1983 budget request by the Forest Service have made a mockery of sound and balanced multiple use management. Once again, substantial increases were requested for timber sales and road building, while other multiple uses had been slashed. Based on administrative requests, the price tag for fiscal 1984 timber program would be 900 million, including appropriated funds and out-budget costs for roads. Much of these funds would be used for below cost timber sales. Given this kind of resource management philosophy, it is no wonder why we are so concerned about the kind of designation an area receives. We do not believe that any administrative protection will be sufficient, and a congressional designation less than wilderness will be too easily overturned in the future. Thank you.