18 



Service has historically conducted its road building policy needs to 

 be changed, given the shift to ecosystem management. One initial 

 change would be requiring the Forest Service to shift from building 

 permanent roads to temporary roads that are recontoured when no 

 longer in use. Temporary roads lay lighter on the land, are less ex- 

 pensive than permanent roads, are more effective in protecting 

 wildlife, prevent against weed infestation, and are more aestheti- 

 cally pleasing. 



In closing, I refer back to the 1905 Pinchot letter and its call to 

 manage the National Forest System for the benefit of the entire 

 Nation. That mandate continues in force today, but it presents a 

 new set of challenges unimaginable 90 years ago. If we want to con- 

 tinue to harvest timber, have healthy wildlife populations, clean 

 streams and lakes and a wide variety of recreational opportunities, 

 we must look carefully at the problems that currently confront the 

 Forest Service and search for innovative and responsible solutions. 



I believe ecosystem management is the solution. We must be 

 careful not to create roadblocks to implementing this policy. 



Thank you. 



Senator Daschle. Thank you very much, Senator Baucus. There 

 is a vote on, and it is complicated somewhat by the fact that Mr. 

 Lyons, our first witness this afternoon, will have to excuse himself 

 at 3:30, which doesn't give us a lot of time to discuss this issue. So I 

 am going to ask Mr. Lyons, the Assistant Secretary for Natural Re- 

 sources in the Department of Agriculture, to come to the table at 

 this time. Ordinarily, anybody who is familiar with this subcom- 

 mittee knows we prefer to take panels and have a good give and 

 take with all the witnesses within a panel, but given the circum- 

 stances today, I think this may be the best way to deal with it. 



So let me ask Mr. Lyons for his statement at this time, and we 

 will then proceed with questions. Senator Craig will return and 

 begin the questioning if I am not here, but we are pleased you 

 could be with us and invite you to proceed with your testimony at 

 this time. 



STATEMENT OF JAMES LYONS, ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR NAT- 

 URAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT, UNITED STATES DE- 

 PARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, WASHINGTON, DC, ACCOMPA- 

 NIED BY GEORGE LEONARD, ASSOCIATE CHIEF, AND DAVID 

 HESSEL, DIRECTOR OF TIMBER MANAGEMENT 



Mr. Lyons. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, Senator 

 Baucus. I apologize for having to depart before the end of the hear- 

 ing, but a few other forestry issues are breaking around town, and 

 we have to be in other places. 



Senator Baucus. Yes; we're reading about them. 



Mr. Lyons. Yes, and I'm sorry you've been reading about them. 



I want to thank you for this opportunity to come up before you 

 today and discuss the current status of the administration's efforts 

 to address below-cost timber sales on the National Forest System, 

 and although I have to depart at 3:30, I have brought with me As- 

 sociate Chief George Leonard and Dave Hessel, Director of the 

 Timber Management Program, and they will gladly answer any 

 questions. 



