Wayne Gilchrest: “I am here as a result of trying to make some sense out of a very complicated issue, logging on our Nation's forests. It…”

“I am here as a result of trying to make some sense out of a very complicated issue, logging on our Nation's forests. It is my understanding that in 1987 there were 11.3 billion board feet harvested off of America's national forests. In 1994 that dropped to 3.4 billion board feet. Perhaps in 1987, 11.3 billion board feet was too much. In 1994, as a result of the forest health problems that we are seeing, the 3.4 billion was not enough. As a result of that, we see some pretty severe problems in our Nation's forests. What I would like to say, though, which is my problem with the timber salvage sale, is that I realize we have to get the dead and dying trees out, we have to get the insect-ridden trees out, and we have to create a management scheme that is going to make sure that we manage our national forests so that they can recycle themselves and we can get the wood for America, people can have jobs, and we can still have a suitable environmental condition so that our forests will be sustainable for the future.”