30 



to the back as somewhat of an appendix. Apparently that is where 

 these things wind up. 



I would like to address the potential for introductions of damag- 

 ing forest pests into North America through importations of inad- 

 equately treated logs or the wood products. Exotic pests can have 

 greater potential impacts upon the economy and upon the whole 

 forest ecosystem than almost any other conceivable disruption. To 

 illustrate the point, I will go back to the turn of the century when 

 around 1900, two of our more devastating organisms were intro- 

 duced, the fungus that causes Chestnut blight and the white pine 

 blister rust fungus. I will address my comments to the chestnut. 



In 1900, the American chestnut was the most majestic tree of the 

 magnificent eastern hardwood forest that covered approximately 

 200 million acres of land. The chestnut represented 25 to 30 per- 

 cent of the composition of those stands. In other words, it was the 

 dominant species in that ecosystem. By 1950, that blight fungus 

 had virtually eliminated the American chestnut from the American 

 scene. Some of us may have been fortunate enough to see those for- 

 ests dominated by chestnuts, but our children and their children 

 and their children's children will never see that. 



Economically, the losses have already reached into the trillions 

 of dollars, trillions of dollars. If you take those figures in the writ- 

 ten statement and multiply them out, you will see that the losses 

 have been astronomical, simply on the economic side of the coin. 



The timber industry that wants to bring these logs in apparently 

 is looking at the very short-term profit, because if they were really 

 looking into the future they would worry about this as much as we 

 do. 



At any rate, we have not finished paying the piper yet. As we 

 replace the lost chestnut, which is almost extinct, with oaks, and 

 that is the major thing that has filled in the holes, we have now 

 gotten into trouble with oak wilt. We did not know that fungus 

 until the late 1930s, but with the increase in the numbers of oaks 

 in these forests, we got into trouble with oak wilt. 



Also, the impact of the gypsy moth would probably be very sub- 

 stantially less if we still had the chestnut in existence. So even 

 though we have lost the chestnut, the impact is not over. 



The problem is so astronomical that I don't know how much of 

 a risk that we can really afford to take. This is not a hypothetical 

 thing. This is what has happened once with one species of tree. We 

 know it can happen again. 



Sir, I am sorry, I would like to say a number of other things I 

 have outlined in my statement, but I will pass. Thank you. 



Mr. Rose. Maybe we can get back to them in question time. We 

 are going to have to go vote in a minute and come back, so let me 

 just sort of have a first round with you all. 



[The prepared statement of Mr. Cobb appears at the conclusion 

 of the hearing.] 



Mr. Rose. Dr. Belsky. 



STATEMENT OF JOY BELSKY 



Ms. Belsky. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



The proposed rules for the importation of logs and other wood ar- 

 ticles are guaranteed to introduce new pathogens and pests into 



