Number: 1987-05
WHEREAS, our National Forests are an enduring heritage for all Americans; and
WHEREAS, the 191 million acres of our National Forest System provide important and critical habitats for our nation’s big game species, fish, dozens of threatened and endangered plants and animals, numerous non-game avian and terrestrial wildlife species, and a wealth of plant species; and
WHEREAS, a significant amount of America’s remnant wild lands are found within the National Forest System; and
WHEREAS, a great variety of North America’s ecosystems are represented in our National Forest System; and
WHEREAS, our national forests are increasingly important for their recreational values, receiving over 200 million visitors per year; and
WHEREAS, our national forests provide vital watershed, wetland, and riparian area protection, which enhances water quality and supply; and
WHEREAS, timber harvesting and other commodity uses such as livestock grazing and energy and mineral development are appropriate if done in a manner consistent with the protection of the non-commodity values of our forests; and
WHEREAS, the National Forests are required by law to be managed for the multiple use and sustained yield of many resources including watershed, wildlife, fish, recreation, minerals, timber and range; and
WHEREAS, current and proposed management direction, as set forth in the 1985 updated Renewable Resources Program (RPA), emphasizes the management of our National Forests for the extraction of commodity resources at direct cost to non-commodity values, and often at a substantial cost to the taxpayer; and
WHEREAS, such management direction is resulting in timber “mining”, conversion of wetlands, conversion of hardwoods to softwoods, stream siltation with impacts on valuable fishery resources, excessive road construction, the resulting increase in poaching of wildlife, and other actions that damage wildlife or important wildlife habitat; and
WHEREAS, our National Forests must endure as a resource for future Americans;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation in annual meeting assembled March 19-22, 1987, in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada urges that the Secretary of Agriculture, the Office of Management and Budget, and the U.S. Forest Service direct management policies away from an emphasis on the commodities that can be exploited from our National Forests, toward policies that place equal emphasis on conservation of fish and wildlife, soil, water, trees and plants, and that recognize the increasing importance non-commodity values have for a growing number of Americans; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the U.S. Forest Service redirect its management approach to establish as a high priority the protection and maintenance of healthy forest ecosystems for future generations of Americans to cherish and enjoy.