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The current debate over forest land use has involved citizen groups, local, sute, and 

 federal governments, and private companies. Land uses advocated range from com- 

 plete, permanent preservation to various utilization options, including timber har- 

 vesting by clearcutting. From the broad constituency involved in environmental 

 issues, it is evident that wise stewardship of natural resources is very important to most 

 Americans. Basic American values, such as landovmer rights, national heritage, right- 

 to-work, and appreciation of natural beauty, are reflected in articles, debates, and 

 other communications on North America's environment. Confrontations between 

 groups having consumptive versus nonconsumptive viewpoints reg;ularly occur, both 

 in personal exchanges and in courtrooms. In contrast, the maintenance of forest 

 health is one particular area where there is a general agreement among all con- 

 cerned citizens. Regardless of how the forest is used, a forest in poor health — e.g., a 

 forest with a high proportion of dead and declining trees — is relatively unproductive. 

 Declining forests have relatively low production rates of timber and mast (nuts, fruits, 

 and berries), which affect wildlife populations, and are not aesthetically pleasing. 



Many reasons explain unhealthy forests. Some problems are related to the increasing 

 industrialization of the world. Other problenu are caused by biological agents or "pests" 

 that feed upon forest plant species. A widespread pest infestation, eg., gypsy moth 

 (Lymantna dispar),' can permanently alter a forest in terms of plant and animal spedes 

 composition. Forest-dwelling animals, as well as forest vegetation, are affected by pest- 

 caused devastation. In the eastern forests, the loss of American chesmut (CasUtnea 

 dentaUt) to an exotic fungal blight probably drastically reduced populations of black 

 bears and turkeys (Pelton, personal communication). Reductions in whitebark pine 

 (Pinus aibicauUs) populations due to another exotic fungus have impacted grizzly 

 bear and Qark's nutcracker populations in western forests (Kendall and Arno 1989). 



Interestingly, many publications on forest problems and history do not mention or 

 emphasize the destruction caused by forest pests (MacCleery 1992, USDA Forest 



'Appendices B, C, and D provide the common and Laijn namet of ipeciet menaoned in this report. 



