1998 Missoulian Letter to the editor: Forests can not survive repeated attacks! submitted by Chuck Samuelson.
How can any business not have a loss if through litigation and appeals a business is not allowed to carry out its goals and mission? For many years it has been the goal of the environmental conflict industry [environmental interest groups] to put [out] of business forestry in general, and forestry-related industries.
The news article lists by year the dollar loss of the Flathead's budgeted timber program, plus or minus a million or two. The losses are mere peanuts compared to the Forest Service's ongoing program of destroying hundreds of miles of forest roads and excavating hundreds of mountain stream crossing culverts.
By destroying and/or abandoning the forest roads, the agency is also abandoning a half century of reforestation work and general forest management. If it would be possible to calculate the dollars previously invested in roads and reforestation in the last half century on the nation's public lands, it may equal the national debt. That capital investment is now being destroyed and abandoned. Trees are a renewable natural resource. Why abandon a renewable resource?
Water, timber, oil, coal, precious metals, and all natural resources, especially on public lands as well as on private lands are under attack from the standpoint of "saving the environment." The big question is, saving the environment for whom and for what purpose?
The current organization known as the Forest Service basically no longer qualifies to be called Forest Service. It is misleading. Perhaps the title should be changed to U.S. Floral and Fauna Service.
CAG Comments
The Forest service, like other federal and state agencies has been captured by environmental interest groups such as Friends of the Bitterroot, Greater Yellowstone Coalition, the Sierra Club, the Wilderness Society, Wild Forever, Earth Share, Earth First, The National Wildlife Federation,
The National Audubon Society, and others.End CAG Comments
Despite the turmoil and criticism, there are still a handful of well-meaning and hardworking people in the agency. It is the leadership and the agenda that needs revision.