E336 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks March 16, 2000 well-established relationship with the home- I would like to introduce a letter into the tion of this letter are supported and ex- less, and that is where their energies will be RECORD from Dr. Douglas Piirto, a Professor panded upon by the information that is pre- focusedÐcounting those hardest-to-count indi- of Forestry and Natural Resource Manage- sented in the sections which follow it. Please refer to the figure attached at the viduals, the wandering homeless who all too ment at Cal Poly, in San Luis Obispo, Cali- end of this letter before proceeding with earily slip into invisibility. fornia. He has been working on giant sequoia reading the Win/Win Solution section of this That is exactly the sort of commitment, dedi- health for almost thirty years and is very con- letter. They say a picture tells what a 1,000 cation, and civic partnership the census re- cerned about how monument status will un- words can't do. The figure of the Confederate quires. This is (as we in Akron say) ``where dermine forest management flexibility. I would Group in Mariposa Grove illustrates what the rubber meets the road''Ðfinding, identi- encourage my colleagues to read his thought- can happen to vegetation within a giant se- fying, and counting those who lack basic shel- ful recommendations. quoia grove over an 80-year period. This let- ter. Unfortunately, the Administration has com- ter makes the case that significant manage- For three generations, the Thomas family pletely ignored all of these scientific findings. ment flexibility is needed to respond to the dramatic changes in vegetation that can has guided the Haven of Rest with a deep and And the Forest Service has done little to im- occur in giant sequoia groves. abiding sense of the dignity and worth of plement them. A WIN/WIN SOLUTION every individual. They understand and live the Instead, what we now see is an election campaign driving forest policy. The campaign Let's first start with what I think most in- creed that everyone matters and every one of formed people agree on: (1) Some people us counts. pollsters say we should lock it up! But this is might debate the meanings of the protect, I commend them for their caring, and for not in the best interest of these sequoia preserve, and restore goals for national for- their inspirational demonstration of what ``civic grovesÐit is only in the best interest of one est giant sequoia groves as specified in the duty is really all about. election campaign. 1992 Presidential Proclamation but most f This second bill would authorize a National citizens would, I think, largely agree with Research Council study of the forest. They their intent; (2) some type of management INTRODUCTION OF DILLONWOOD should review past studies and offer rec- area designation featuring giant sequoias GIANT SEQUOIA GROVE PARK ommendations for exactly what kind of man- may be appropriate; (3) the subwatershed EXPANSION ACT; AND GIANT SE- agement will preserve these treasures. The basin containing the giant sequoia grove QUOIA GROVES PROTECTION AND should be the area that is specifically identi- National Research Council offers us some of fied to receive a specific management area MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2000 the best independent scientific review in the designation; (4) flexible/adaptive manage- world and I hope the Administration will listen ment, including fire surrogate methods (e.g., HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH to them. selective thinning to reduce risk of cata- OF CALIFORNIA This should be about the health of the for- strophic fire occurrence) is needed given the many different conditions that exist in na- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES est, not the health of an election campaign. If we really care about the future of the giant tional forest giant sequoia groves; (5) Man- Thursday, March 16, 2000 sequoia, then we will listen to the scientists. agement must be tied to science; (6) Ade- Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, today I am Campaign spin doctors and their polls cannot quate funding must be provided to support management and research work; and (7) The introducing legislation to preserve some of and should not try to manage a forest. role of the Giant Sequoia Ecology Coopera- America's greatest treasuresÐthe giant se- MARCH 7, 2000. tive should be reinforced and expanded with quoias of central California. Re Antiquities Act and Giant Sequoia an adequate funding mechanism to support The first bill I am offering would expand the Groves: Giant SequoiaÐa Relic of the an Executive Director, staff, office space and boundaries of Sequoia National Park. There is Past or an Icon to the Future associated costs for managing the Coopera- an area called Dillonwood Grove that includes Hon. William Clinton, tive. So if it follows that there is widespread one of the riches sequoia groves in the region. President of the United States, agreement on these 7 main items, then I The private owners want this tract to become White House, Washington, DC. would suggest the following management ac- DEAR PRESIDENT CLINTON: I write this let- tions be addressed: a part of our Park system and I support their ter with a highest degree of urgency and re- 1. Expand on the 1992 Presidential Procla- right to do that. This bill would authorize the spect for your office. You are about to make mation by issuing a 2000 Presidential Procla- change. a decision that NBC states in their 2/16/2000 mation directing the Forest Service to pro- The most compelling thing about news story could impact the long-term sur- vide protection, preservation, and restora- Dillonwood, however, is that this private prop- vival of giant sequoia trees. They are right tion work to the lands within the sub-water- erty has been actively managed for many but not in the context that they say it. De- shed basin containing the giant sequoia years and it offers us living proof to the advan- ciding to create a national monument for the groves. Ask Congress for approval of your tages of flexible forest management. While giant sequoia groves that occur on national proclamation if possible to gain a broader forest lands will result in the creation of spectrum of support. Approximately 19,345 Dillonwood will enter into the Sequoia National places where ``relics'' of giant sequoia are acres exist with the tree-line areas of the 38+ Park, it is important to look at the manage- featured. To think that simply drawing a giant sequoia groves that occur on the Se- ment lessons from Dillonwood, as we seek to line around a giant sequoia grove and stop- quoia National Forest. Increasing manage- protect, restore and maintain the sequoia ping all management activity is in the best ment attention to the subwatersheds that groves outside of the Park. interest of the long-term survival of giant contain the giant sequoia groves would in- The President thinks the best way to do this sequoia is incorrect. I fully disagree with crease this special designation status to by designating a 400,000-acre national monu- any attempt to put the national forest giant about 100,000 acres on the Sequoia National ment. I disagree. sequoia groves in national monument status. Forest. I recommend that the remaining A flexible range of management is needed 300,000 acres be released from management First, the giant sequoia in the Sequoia, Si- that cannot occur if they are designated only area special designation which would re- erra and Tahoe Forests have been off limits to as national monuments or national parks. I spond to concerns expressed by the local for- logging for over 10 years! A Mediated Settle- reach out to you at this time with the great- est products industry. ment in 1990 set aside these groves to per- est degree of humility I can muster. There is 2. I recommend a designation other than manently ensure their protection. President no scientific justification in my opinion to national monument. National monument George Bush signed a proclamation in 1992 to designate giant sequoia groves on national connotes to me the idea of preserving relics state the policy for management to be to pro- forest land as national monuments. Our com- rather than adaptively managing eco- tect, preserve and restore goods for giant se- mon interest is to see that they receive the systems. The Forest Service has a large best stewardship possible. So, as much as we number of special designations it uses for the quoia groves in national forests. In fact, over may differ on a variety of issues, I need to lands under its jurisdiction. One of those des- 80% of the Sequoia National Forest is already have your attention for the next few minutes ignations, I think, should suffice. The impor- off limits to logging. as I make my case regarding the future of tant thing is that a subwatershed area is The scientists also disagree. In 1996, the giant sequoia groves. identified for each grove that will fall under Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project said the I have organized this letter into the fol- the three goals of protect, preserve, and re- best way to keep the forest healthy was lowing sections: A Win/Win Solution; My store. through active management of the groves. Credentials, Interest, and Role in Giant Se- 3. The goals of protect, preserve, and re- quoia Management; The Problem As I See It; They did not recommend a monument. In ad- store should be expanded to include the Si- Why the Need for a Flexible Range of Man- erra and Tahoe National Forest groves.