The Hellbender Chronicles

Peterson's press release:

For Immediate Release March 3, 2004

U.S. FOREST CHIEF DALE BOSWORTH AGREES TO VISIT ALLEGHENY NATIONAL FOREST, WORK TO
ADDRESS TIMBER BLOWDOWN

Washington -- At the urging of U.S. Congressman John Peterson (R-PA/5), U.S. Forest Chief Dale Bosworth has agreed to visit the Allegheny National Forest this spring to discuss a number of issues relating to the ANF including possible solutions for salvaging the timber which was blown down last summer.

Peterson discussed the problem with Bosworth during a hearing held today by the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, of which Peterson serves as vice-chairman. "Federal regulations and bureaucratic red tape have made it nearly impossible for the Forest Service to properly manage our forests," according to Peterson. "On the Allegheny National Forest, which contains the finest hardwood in the country, thousands of acres of trees were blown down last summer by severe storms and high winds. The value of the timber is between $50 and 100 million, yet the Forest Service estimates that it could take several years to salvage much of the timber because of bureaucratic red tape."

Congressman Peterson questions USFS Chief Dale Bosworth as Congressman Don Sherwood looks on.

"By the time the Forest Service is able to salvage the timber, what was once a majestic hard wood forest will simply be rotting wood on the forest floor," continued Peterson. "It doesn't make sense to have trees decaying on the ground simply because the Forest Service has its hands tied by red tape. The Forest Service has professional foresters, fish and wildlife biologists, ecologists and other scientists on staff who have years of experience managing healthy forests. We must provide them with more flexibility to make decisions about how to manage our forests instead of having our forest policy driven by lawsuits and red tape. I look forward to having Dale Bosworth visit and see for himself the issues we are facing in the Allegheny National Forest."

Bosworth also agreed to work with Peterson to look at ways to expand recreational opportunities in national forests, as well as to discuss the implementation of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act and how it may be able to help streamline the bureaucracy and expedite forest management decisions in the future.

-###-

And my letter:

Dear Congressman Peterson,

I am writing to inform you of some biological information that will be useful in enhancing your knowledge of the biological role of fallen trees within the Allegheny National Forest.

As you may have heard, Allegheny National Forest soils have been depleted by a combination of historical logging and acidic rain. The depletion of essential cations such as magnesium and calcium has been documented by the Forest Service to expedite tree decline in the Allegheny National Forest.

In your recent press statement, you state that fallen trees in the Allegheny National Forest are a waste. However, scientists will tell you that fallen trees are essential to regenerating forest soils while maintaining important forest conditions essential to regeneration of Eastern Hemlock and the survival of other surrounding trees during periods of drought.

It also appears that you have advocated for commercial logging used in combination with fertilizers and herbicides as a "solution" to these fallen trees. Scientific researchers have documented that commercial timbering, fertilizers, and the herbicide Oust contribute towards deficiencies in essential cations in forest soils. Therefore it is not in the Forest Service's best interests to initiate commercial logging in the Allegheny National Forest.

I appreciate your continued commitment to the best available science.

Sincerely,

James Kleissler, Forest Watch Director
Allegheny Defense Project