422 



We believe it is time to face up to the facts and admit that the Forest 

 Service made a great mistake by soliciting and entering into these contracts 

 some three decades ago. 



But this mistake can be undone. And now, as we are exploring the whole 

 question of future directions for the Tongass National Forest, it is time to 

 begin to walk down a new path for Southeast Alaska, one which will not require 

 such waste of money and environmental damage. 



This new path should include protection for many of the key old growth 



drainages that remain. While Audubon would like to see protection of a more 



permanent nature, we can support a moratorium on logging in the 23 areas 



proposed pending development of the next Tongass Land Use Management Plan. 



Even if all 23 areas were protected permanently, the scheduled timber base 

 would be reduced only ll%--from 450 million board feet per year to 400 million 

 board feet per year. The average amount of timber sold from the Tongass from 

 1980 to 1988 was 285 million board feet per year. Thus, full protection for 

 all 23 areas would still leave an average surplus of 115 million board feet 

 per year. 



In the end, repeal of Section 705(a), coupled with a termination of the 

 remaining 50 year contracts, and protection of additional areas, would go a 

 long way toward restoring the economic, social, and environmental equilibrium 

 in Southeast Alaska. This is one of the last strongholds of the grizzly 

 bear. It is the last stronghold of our national emblem, the bald eagle. It 

 is our last opportunity to provide permanent protection to the finest old 

 growth coastal rain forest in the country. The Tongass National Forest 

 contains our most superlative wilderness, some of our grandest scenic 

 spectacles, and offers a wonderful way of life and hopes of a prosperous 

 future to those who take advantage of its abundant renewable, truly renewable, 

 natural resources. 



Audubon opposes the bill introduced by Alaska Senators Frank Murkowski and Ted 

 Stevens. S. 237 will not solve the fiscal or environmental problems of the 

 Tongass. A legislated "allowable sale quantity" of 4.5 billion board feet per 

 decade would allow the Forest Service to demand funding sufficient to prepare 

 that quantity. S. 237 would camouflage continued waste of tax dollars. 



Let us, then, take act ion- -now- -to realize the full promise of southeast 

 Alaska. This promise lies not in the bankrupt provisions of Section 705 which 

 only damage or destroy the region's recreation, fisheries, wildlife and 

 scenery, for a dubious benefit to a declining pulp industry. S.346, the 

 Tongass Timber Reform Act, takes us a long step toward a better future by 

 requiring measures designed to restore balance and equilibrium among all 

 uses. We urge you to support it. 



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