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THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY 



STATEMENT OF GAYLORD NELSON, THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY, 



ON THE TONGASS TIMBER REFORM ACT 

 BEFORE THE COMOETTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES 



FEBRUARY 28, 1989 



Mr. Chairman, members of the Committee, I am Gaylord Nelson, 

 Counselor of The Wilderness Society. 



My statement is in support of S. 346, the Tongass Timber 

 Reform Act. The Wilderness Society strongly believes that it is 

 imperative this bipartisan reform measure be enacted to save both 

 important natural resources and taxpayer dollars. 



Siumary 



The Wilderness Society conducted a two-year study of the 

 status of the Tongass National Forest in southeast Alaska. Based 

 on the study which addresses the environmental and economic 

 consequences of federal timber management on the Tongass, we 

 conclude: 



o Large scale timbering on the Tongass is indefensible by 

 any economic measure. 



o Timber job opportunities in southeast Alaska cannot be 

 maintained despite increasing federal subsidies 

 provided pursuant to Section 7 05 of the Alaska National 

 Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 (ANILCA) . 



o High levels of logging and reading on the Tongass will 

 ultimately destroy a major portion of one of the last 

 remaining temperate rain forests on the planet. 



o Wildlife and traditional subsistence lifestyles will be 

 lost, salmon fisheries degraded, and recreation and 

 tourism values and related employment diminished, if 

 the current timber program remains in place. 



o Long-term timber sale contracts make sound planning and 

 management for the future of national forest lands 

 impossible. 



1400 EYE STREET. N.W , WASHINGTON, DC 20005 

 (202) 842-3400 



