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Statement of Lany Duysen Before The Subcommittee 

 On Specialty Crops and Natural Resources 



HJL2153 



Thank you Mr. Chairman and committee members for the opportunity to appear before 

 you today. 



I am Lany Duysen, a licensed professional forester in the State of California and the 

 logging superintendent for Sierra Forest Products of Terra Bella, California. I am a member 

 of The Society of American Foresters and The California Licensed Foresters Association. 

 In addition, I am the outgoing President of The Sierra-Cascade Logging Conference, 

 representing members of the logging industry in California, Southern Oregon and Nevada. 



My testimony today represents Sierra Forest Products and my nineteen years 

 ejqierience as a professional forester in the Southern Sierras. 



The Giant Sequoia Preservation Bill is lacking in many areas. It proposes to remove 

 442,000 acres of land within the Sequoia National Forest to create our nations first "Forest 

 Preserve". The rational behind this concept is to protect approximately 15,000 acres of 

 Giant Sequoia Groves. 



These groves are already protected by Forest Service Regulations, Presidential 

 Proclamation and the 1990 Mediated Settlement Agreement of the Sequoia National Forest 

 Land Management Plan. 



When The Land Management Plan was adopted on February 25, 1988, nimierous parties 

 appealed the decision, challenging the Plan and/or the EIS on many grounds. These groups 

 consisted of national and local environmental organizations, the timber industry, the State 

 of California, the cattle industry and various recreational and user groups. 



The Forest Supervisor made the decision to use mediation as a tool to resolve the 

 many conflicting view points presented in the appeals. Between March of 1989 and June 

 of 1990, the parties spent many days in face-to-face discussion and negotiation. Having 

 personally peirticipated in the mediation, I can attest to the long hours, dedication and 

 perseverance of all those involved. 



The result of this was an agreement signed in July of 1990 by representatives for 

 eighteen organizations. I have with me today a copy of this agreement and would like it 

 entered in the record. 



Many agreements were made in regards to resource allocation and land management 

 policy. Some of these include protection for the Giant Sequoia Groves, protection for 

 riparian areas, a reduction in the land base for timber production, a reduced harvest level 



