71 



Gustavus Community Association 



P.O. Box 62 

 Gustavus, Alaska 99826 



To: Senators Stevens and Murkowski, Representative Young 



From: President, Gustavus Community Association 



Re: The "450 timber cut"* on the Tongass National Forest 



At the December 12, 1985, general meeting of the Gustavus 

 Community Association, it was resolved to urge your support 

 in removing the annual 450 million board feet timber cut 

 provision from the Alaska National Interest Land 

 Classification Act, during the upcoming congressional review 

 of this legislation. 



Our reasoning is as follows: 



Whereas, the livelihoods of Gustavus residents depend 

 heavily on tourism, fishing and subsistence, and 



Whereas, biologists and others have determined that 

 excessive timbering can be detrimental to these resources, 

 and 



Whereas, the "450 timber cut" does not allow enough 

 flexibility in the management of the National Forest for all 

 appropriate uses, and 



Whereas, this level of harvest is not economically sensible, 

 as shown by the millions of dollars spent to subsidize the 

 forest products industry on the Tongass, 



We, therefore, oppose the "450 timber cut" on the Tongass 

 National Forest. 



*ANILCA calls for 4.5 billion board feet of timber to be 

 offered for harvest each decade on the Tongass National 

 Forest, with an annual sxibsidy of up to $40 million. 



