53 



The Forest Service NEAI has invested $12 miUion in watershed 

 restoration through the Jobs in the Woods program and has award- 

 ed 300 contracts. Over 99 percent of the contractors and workers 

 live in or operate their businesses within the affected region. 



Data on the number of workers employed and their wages based 

 on 60 percent of the Jobs in the Woods contracts awarded show 

 that in 1995, 2,225 workers have been employed, 1,010 of whom 

 were displaced timber workers, at an average wage and benefit of 

 $17.10 an hour. 



Old growth diversification funds are used for projects that add 

 value to existing timber resources and create and retain employ- 

 ment. In Oregon, this program stimulated the investment of $15.77 

 for every dollar of agency funding. As a result, an estimated total 

 of 943 jobs were created. 



Overall, more than 4,900 job training opportunities have been 

 created in the region, and as of last September, more than 81 per- 

 cent of those completing training had found emplo3anent. 



The Northwest Forest Plan applies current science to on-the- 

 ground management. This is done in a number of ways. Watershed 

 analysis provides the basic information for managing watersheds. 

 Thus far, the Forest Service has completed 120 watershed analy- 

 ses, comprising over seven million acres. We have done so in co- 

 ordinating with the other Federal agencies who are our partners in 

 managing the forests of the Pacific Northwest, and I would say 

 that we are on schedule in completing the analysis proposed in the 

 forest plan. 



With respect to wildlife conservation, we are already seeing the 

 benefits of our efforts. Where watershed analyses have been com- 

 pleted and the streamlined consultation approach has been imple- 

 mented, consultation under the Endangered Species Act is com- 

 pleted quickly. For example, between August 30, 1995, and May 31 

 of this year, 102 informal consultations were completed, averaging 

 18 days per consultation. There were 18 formal consultations, aver- 

 aging 46 days per consultation. 



In order to sustain forest ecosystems and local economies, the 

 Northwest Forest Plan recognizes the need to invest money into 

 these ecosystems. This is accomplished through watershed restora- 

 tion, by improving fish passages, stabilizing land erosion, resur- 

 facing roads, revegetating road banks, and reclaiming unnecessary 

 or problem roads. These projects have also provided immediate em- 

 plo3Tnent for displaced workers through the award of 300 water- 

 shed restoration contracts. 



The Northwest Forest Plan has included management areas that 

 build on our monitoring efforts but goes one step further in creat- 

 ing areas for developing and testing new ideas. The plan estab- 

 lishes what we call ten adaptive management areas, which operate 

 on the principle of adaptive management, which means we learn 

 from our actions and change our management when necessary. 



For clarification, the Northwest Forest Plan covers 24 million 

 acres of Federal land. Thirty percent of these acres have been set 

 aside for special protection by acts of Congress. The remaining 70 

 percent is allocated in the following manner: Late successional re- 

 serves constitute 30 percent; adaptive management areas, six per- 

 cent; managed late successional areas, one percent; administra- 



