27 



It should be noted that although the reserve encompasses more 

 than 400,000 acres, only about 40,000 acres, or 10 percent, of the 

 proposed reserve currently supports giant sequoias. 



The other approach suggests that some management is needed to 

 perpetuate the groves. This approach retains flexibility to deal with 

 problems of fuel buildup, dense understory vegetation, risk from 

 drought, insects, and disease, and increased recreation use in the 

 Sierra Nevada region that, together, present greater risks of 

 human-caused wildfire. The approach recognizes that these are dy- 

 namic ecosystems which will change and that preservation in the 

 strict sense is not likely to maintain the sequoias. 



One of my key goals is to quickly and successfully implement 

 ecosystem management in the national forests and grasslands. 

 That management indicates that we take a broader view. 



We have already initiated two important scientific efforts that, 

 when completed, will add to our knowledge of the ecosystems of the 

 Sierras. They are the Sierra Nevada ecosystem project and the 

 California spotted owl environmental impact statement. The infor- 

 mation from those efforts is essential in developing successful man- 

 agement strategies on an ecosystemwide basis. 



The Sierra Nevada ecosystem project is a comprehensive study 

 by an independent panel of scientists, integrating state-of-the-art 

 knowledge on biological, physical, and socioeconomic environment. 

 It will be the basis for developing management strategies to main- 

 tain ecosystem health while providing resources to meet human 

 needs. 



The California spotted owl EIS process was initiated in March of 

 1993. Alternatives are being analyzed for managing California owl 

 habitat on 10 forests in the Sierran province, including the Sequoia 

 and Sierra National Forests. That draft EIS should be available for 

 public review and comment this summer. 



We believe it imperative that the findings from these two impor- 

 tant efforts be considered before long-term strategies are imple- 

 mented. 



At the Sequoia symposium held in 1992, attended by scientists, 

 professional resource managers, and others concerned with protect- 

 ing the groves, there was consensus among professionals and sci- 

 entists that management is the best course if the groves are to be 

 perpetuated. 



Some combination of silvicultural treatment, prescribed fire, and 

 other measures can probably best ensure survival and long-term vi- 

 ability of the giant sequoia. 



The risk to those groves from severe wildfire is a concern most 

 often mentioned by scientists and professionals who favor active 

 management. Though fire effects differ widely, periodic burning is 

 an essential ecological process in fire-adapted ecosystems such as 

 mixed conifer and giant sequoia forests found within the lands af- 

 fected by H.R. 2153. 



Excluding or greatly reducing natural fire within the sequoia 

 groves has two undesirable effects. The first has been an unnatu- 

 rally high fuel accumulation. The natural fire regime of frequent, 

 low-intensity fire removes fuels and understory vegetation with lit- 

 tle risk to larger trees. The current, unnaturally high fuel accumu- 

 lation can lead to intense wildfires that are extremely difficult to 



