129 



STATEMENT 



of 



MICHAEL McCLOSKEY 



for Che 



SIERRA CLUB 



on 



H.R. 2153. THE GIANT SEQUOIA PRESERVATION ACT 



before the 



SUBCOKMITTEE ON SPECIALTY CROPS AND NATURAL RESOURCES 



COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE 



U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 



WASHINGTON, D.C. 

 March 9, 1994 



I an Michael McCloskey, ChairBan of the Sierra Club. I welcome this 

 opportunity to testify on behalf of the Sierra Club in support of H.R. 2153. 

 The Sierra Club is a national environmental organization of over 550,000 

 members. For over a century. Sierra Club members have been active in the 

 fight to protect the giant sequoias. The legislation before your Committee 

 today gives you the opportunity to complete this effort once and for all . The 

 National Audubon Society also wishes to associate itself with the views 

 expressed in this statement. 



Introduction 



California's Sierra Nevada range Is home to the world's only giant 

 sequoias, or Sequoiadendron giganteum. These magnificent trees are the 

 largest and most majestic living things on earth. They are close plant 

 relatives of California's Coastal Redwoods, China's D8%m Redvoods and the Bald 

 Cypress of the Aaerican South. Awe-inspiring and colorful, some giant 

 sequoias have reached an age of over 3,000 years. 



The same area that is home to these imposing forests also includes the 

 plunging depth* of the Kings River Canyon- -the deepest canyon in United 

 States. On the •outhem shoulder of this magnificent canyon grow the remnants 

 of the Converse Basin grove, where the largest of the ancient giant sequoias 

 once towered. Eighty years ago most of these giants were laid low by 

 plunderers. This area is now a forest of stumps, some nearly as large as this 

 hearing room, which is only just beginning to regrow. Views from the smaller 

 scattered remnant groves look across and down mighty King's Canyon, and are an 

 important reason for including this northern portion of sequoia habitat In the 

 bill before your Committee. , 



