318 



Senator Wirth. Thank you very much, Mr. Winter. 

 Ms. MacMillan. 



STATEMENT OF JO CAROL MacMILLAN 



Ms. MacMillan. I am Jo Carol MacMillan, a 29-year resident of 

 Ketchikan, by choice. 



I am wearing a hickory shirt and red suspenders to publicly pro- 

 claim my support of the timber industry in Alaska. Pinned to the 

 shirt is a button, picturing a logger's family, with the inscription 

 "Preserve the people". 



Most of us live here because of the people, certainly not for the 

 weather or the cost of living. The people are an integral part of the 

 Tongass. Most of us choose to live where there is a stable economic 

 base rather than in an area with boom and bust fluctuations. 

 Those who are professionals in business or any vocation that re- 

 quires an investment and a commitment to a specific area, select 

 one that has a promising projected future. The timber industry is 

 one third of our economic base. 



As a wife and mother of four, a wage earner and home owner, I 

 am not an expert on economics, forestry or politics, but I keep in- 

 formed on the issues. When matters of such magnitude as the man- 

 agement of the largest forest in the United States are at issue a 

 point is reached at which those who are the experts should be al- 

 lowed to use their expertise. 



The sign on the road to Ward Lake states, "Tongass National 

 Forest, U.S. Department of Agriculture." Trees are a crop, one 

 which replants and thrives in this area, and one that can be har- 

 vested, with management, animal life, forest and people together. 



The beauty of the Tongass attracts us, a warm friendly people 

 welcomes us, but a sound economy allows us to stay. 



Thank you. 



Senator Wirth. Thank you very much. 



STATEMENT OF RICHARD BURRELL 



Mr. BuRRELL. Ladies and gentlemen, I am speaking on behalf of 

 myself, my family, my company and my employees. My livelihood 

 has depended on the Tongass National Forest for 27 years. Myself, 

 my family and my 20 employees care a lot about what is going to 

 happen in the forest. We hope our statements today will help to 

 convince you all that we need your ongoing support of what the 

 Congress instituted nearly a decade ago. 



ANILCA was a compromise of forest land that took a lot away 

 from the productivity of the forest. Several million acres are locked 

 up in wilderness and roadless areas. We have recently lost the Ton- 

 gass Timber Supply Fund of $40 million as a compromise. 



Congress instituted 50-year timber sale contracts nearly 35 years 

 ago. There are healthy second growth timber stands on virtually 

 every patch cut made the Tongass. We are not deforesting, we are 

 involved in serious land management, planning and working with 

 proven first entry timber harvesting methods. The logging roads 

 and highways have enhanced fishing and hunting tremendously 

 throughout the Tongass National Forest. 



