More than 230 leading scientists and economists from across the nation have asked the United States Forest Service to abandon its efforts to weaken the Clinton-era Roadless Area Conservation Rule, saying that proposed changes run counter to sound scientific and economic principles.
In a strongly-worded letter to Forest Service officials, the scientists -- including world-renowned chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall and Harvard biologist Edward O. Wilson -- warned that they "are especially troubled by" the current Forest Service leadership's "track record of ignoring the best available science in policy decisions affecting public land."
The letter points out, "More than 4 million miles of roads criss-cross the continental United States... This extensive road system has made it possible to drive within a mile of more than 80% of all lands within the lower United States, with only 3% of the nation more than 3 miles from the nearest road." [1]
The letter warns that further road building on public lands could lead to the crossing of an "ecological threshold," where sensitive wildlife species permanently abandon their historic habitat. Streams and fish habitat are equally at risk due to the increased erosion, altered hydrological patterns and siltification that accompanies road building and use, the scientists said.
"I think [the letter] really points to significant frustration that members of the scientific community feel with this administration and its growing track record of ignoring the best available science in policy decisions," Dominick Della Salla, a forest ecologist and director of the World Wildlife Fund's Klamath-Siskiyou Program in southern Oregon, told the Associated Press. [2]
In their separate letter on the economic pitfalls of building more roads in National Forests, the economists -- including Nobel laureate Kenneth Arrow -- say that the timber industry, which already receives tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies to build roads for logging projects, would further burden the federal budget deficit.
The economists wrote, "Designating roadless areas in our national forests is an economically sound policy that saves taxpayers millions of dollars in road building and timber sale subsidies. ...we urge the administration to reverse its decision to replace the Roadless Area Conservation Rule." [3]
According to government data, the Forest Service already has a $10 billion maintenance backlog for the 430,000 miles of existing roads in National Forests.
In addition to objections from scientists and economists, the decision to suspend the Roadless Rule has angered hunters and anglers. A recent series of reports by the conservation group Trout Unlimited found that the remaining roadless areas of National Forests contain some of the best hunting and fishing in the nation. The reports said that some of the biggest bull elk, healthiest trout populations and best habitat in the lower 48 states are within the remaining roadless areas of National Forests. [4]
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SOURCES:
[1] Scientist letter to Forest Service on Roadless Rule.
[2] "Scientists, economists oppose Bush plan on forests," Associated Press, Oct. 20, 2004.
[3] Economist letter to Forest Service, Oct. 22, 2004.
[4] Trout Unlimited Roadless reports.
