Roadless Issues cause Dubya to Lose Support from Small Business Owners

[JoseCuervo]

I wonder if Dubya will side with the Timber/Oil companies or with the Small Business Owners, the Backbone of the American Dream?

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WASHINGTON -- Conservationists aren't the only ones fighting the Bush administration over protections for the nation's wild lands. A group of mostly small-business owners is increasingly joining the fray.

The Outdoor Industry Association argues that preserving wild lands is not only good for people who like to hike, bike and raft there but also for the businesses that sell them gear. The association represents 4,000 companies that make and sell outdoor gear and guide city folks on backcountry trips. These businesses employ 500,000 people and generate $18 billion a year in sales.

Steve Fox thought outdoor recreation was so important to Coshocton County residents that this spring he opened Eagle Outfitters at 51323 County Road 16.

"There's tremendous value in outdoor recreation," he said. "The things my father taught me -- appreciation for the outdoors, wildlife and fishing -- are priceless. It's something that needs to be passed on from generation to generation."

Joe Miller, who owns Woodbury Outfitters at 901 Ohio 541, said 20 to 30 percent of his customers hunt on public land.

They take advantage of nearby Woodbury Wildlife Preserve, state-owned property, and acreage that American Electric Power has granted public access.

They travel to Muskingum and Belmont counties to hunt on public property.

"It's very important that remaining wild lands be protected," he said.

The opportunity to trek through the great outdoors is therapeutic for some.

"When I go out to hunt, if I get an animal it's a bonus. Getting out in the woods and enjoying nature is what it's all about," Miller said.

The association this month launched its "Protect today, play tomorrow" campaign to educate its members' customers about the need to preserve their undeveloped playgrounds. The association's nonprofit arm is running ads in four national outdoor magazines, distributing posters to specialty retail outdoor stores and traveling to member businesses to educate employees as part of its Business for Wilderness program. A Web site encourages members and the public to e-mail President Bush and Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth.

It's all part of an effort to pressure the Bush administration not to loosen protections for 30 percent of the national forests that are roadless and undeveloped. The Department of Agriculture, which oversees the forests, is expected any day to formally announce a plan to allow governors to seek exemptions from protective rules adopted during the Clinton administration.

"The outdoor business community cares very deeply about this issue and the message we've been bringing to our congressional leaders is that we will work with anyone who protects these gems," said Frank Hugelmeyer, president of the association.

The roadless rule protects 58.5 million acres of forest from logging, mining and oil and gas development. It allows, in rare cases, for small trees to be removed to reduce fire danger. It also allows all forms of recreation, including snowmobiles and off-road vehicles.

A survey done by the association two years ago found that 149 million Americans age 16 and older participate in nonmotorized outdoor activities such as fly-fishing, rafting, camping and bird watching. Federal officials estimate that each year, 13 million people visit forest roadless areas and 16 million visit federal wilderness areas.

But the outdoor industry's support for the roadless rule is running headlong into the timber industry, which is seeking to overturn the rule in court.

The rule mistakenly protects some areas that already have roads and fails to acknowledge that some parts of the country have a higher tolerance for development, said Michael Klein, spokesman for the American Forest and Paper Association.

Fox believes there's a fine line that can be drawn between harvesting timber and good woodland management.

"Sometimes a forest can lapse back and begin to deteriorate when some growth isn't harvested," he said. "There comes a time when some trees have to go to sustain healthy growth. But guidelines need to be followed to protect the impact on wildlife and the environment."

In December, the forest service announced it would exempt the Tongass National Forest in Alaska from the roadless rule to settle a lawsuit filed by that state. Eight other lawsuits are pending filed by, among others, the states of Utah, Idaho and Wyoming and the Boise paper and building products company formerly called Boise Cascade.

Dave Tenny, Department of Agriculture undersecretary for natural resources, said the agency is merely trying to work with governors who want to make technical corrections or maintain access to private property or public facilities, such as reservoirs.

The Bush administration has refused to defend the rule in court. Tenny said his agency would rather work out a settlement with all the parties, including outdoor enthusiasts.

"We agree with what these folks are saying about roadless areas, that they are very important," Tenny said. "I'm puzzled why the appearance of conflict has continued to persist out there when in fact we agree on most things."

Conservation groups argue that allowing governors to exempt their forests from the roadless rule would lead to more uncertainty, lawsuits and development under governors sympathetic to loggers and drillers.

Choteau, Mont., dude ranch owner Chuck Blixrud is worried that roadless areas in the Lewis and Clark National Forest would be opened to gas drilling if the roadless rule is changed. Blixrud takes his guests on daylong horseback rides into the forest and has no doubt that if gas is found on nearby lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management that drillers will head for the forest.

The country already has enough roads and development, Blixrud said.

"We need to have places that aren't so heavily developed for people to come and just enjoy the sounds of quiet and not hear a train whistle or an 18-wheeler," he said. "We need to look real hard at preserving what we have left because it's of great value being left alone."

"In today's world we need to appreciate the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, and not just for hunting, you don't have to hunt," Fox said. "We need to make sure we pass that on to our sons and daughters to share with the next generation."

 

[Nut]

Woodbury Wildlife Area is a poor choice for the point they are trying to make. There are county roads running throughout it.

 

[Nut]

Originally posted by Nut:
Woodbury Wildlife Area is a poor choice for the point they are trying to make. There are county roads running throughout it.

Click on the link and go to bottom of listings to see what I mean. You can get a GIF map(hard to see_ or a PDF file.

Ohio Wildlife Maps