12 



solution to the serious habitat and other environmental problems 

 in the Pacific Northwest. 



But I mentioned to the President that I had a lot of confidence 

 in the professionals that work in the land management agencies, 

 and that one of the reasons I thought that we were where we were 

 today was because we hadn't permitted them to have enough voice, 

 and so I hoped that he would — and the Vice President and others 

 that were leading this effort would look to the professionals to help 

 guide us along the proper policv path. 



And so I am counting on all of you to provide and to make my 

 observation a meaningful one with regards to the final solution and 

 what we hope to accomplish in that area of land management. 



As most of you know, I have relied on people in the Forest Serv- 

 ice, in BLM, and other agencies for a long time, to put together 

 various proposals, for the last four or five years. And as the knowl- 

 edge changes, so have my proposals, so I hope that we are at a 

 point where we can use this information as a benchmark and go 

 forth. And I think, candidly, that many in the House and Congress 

 look to that type of help and need that type of help. 



We may take the credit for it, but I certainly understand that 

 your help is invaluable in terms of accomplishing our ultimate ob- 

 jectives. 



STATEMENT OF GEORGE LEONARD, ASSOCIATE CHIEF, FOR 

 EST SERVICE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, ACCOM 

 PANIED BY DR. JAMES SEDELL AND DR. FREDERICK SWAN 

 SON, PACIFIC NORTHWEST FOREST AND RANGE EXPERI 

 MENT STATION, CORVALLIS, OR; MIKE PENFOLD, ASSOCI 

 ATE DIRECTOR, BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, U.S. DE 

 PARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ACCOMPANIED BY JACK WIL 

 LIAMS, BLM SCIENCE ADVISOR AND RON KAUFMAN; DR. MI 

 CHAEL TILLMAN, ACTING DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF PRO 

 TECTED RESOURCES, NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERV 

 ICE, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRA 

 TION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, ACCOMPANIED BY 

 NICHOLAS lADANZA, CHIEF, HABITAT CONSERVATION 

 BRANCH, NORTHWEST REGION, PORTLAND, OR; AND GARY 

 EDWARDS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF FISHERIES, U.S. FISH 

 AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 



Mr. Vento. Mr. Leonard, your statement is in the record by pre- 

 vious request. 



STATEMENT OF GEORGE LEONARD 



Mr. Leonard. As you noted, I am accompanied at this time by 

 Dr. Sedell and Dr. Swanson from our lab in Corvallis. Dr. Sedell's 

 specialties are in the area of aquatic-land interactions, and Dr. 

 Swanson has spent most of his research time looking at ecosystem 

 processes. 



The Forest Service is responsible for managing 191 million acres 

 of land for multiple-use purposes. Our challenge is to manage with 

 an ecosystem perspective for all uses while ensuring the protection 

 of the soil, air, and water; these are crucial to the sound steward- 

 ship of fishery as habitat. We are committed to continually improv- 



