Restore Multiple Use by Coordination

Have you ever tried to determine what "multiple use" of our National Forests really means? Here is my stab at making a comprehensive list of uses: timber harvest (green trees and salvage), commercial mining (minerals), architectural rock mining, recreational mining, firewood gathering, berrypicking, mushroom picking, harvest of beargrass, fishing, hunting, guiding/outfitting, ranching (grazing), water for irrigation, farming, haying, water use, hydroelectric power, fire lookouts, electronic sites, snowmobiling, riding trails on vehicles such as ATVs and motorcycles, sightseeing from cars and trucks, hiking/backpacking, camping, boating, birdwatching, photography, rockclimbing, historic artifacts and archeological preservaton, wildlife viewing, other recreational activities.

As long as we have access via roads and trails all of these uses are available to us. But what has been happening to our access? It has been gradually restricted and decreased until many of these uses are no longer feasible or even possible. The more the Forest Service has been forced down the path of closures and restrictions the more frustrated the citizens have become. Even many Forest Service personnel have begun to throw up their hands in despair. Forest Service management has openly and publicly admitted that they are suffering from paralysis caused by environmental lawsuits. These suits and threats of legal action have caused endless cycles of analysis and proposals, then more analysis and proposals. Most of the proposals are never implemented. The situation has become so bad that some National Forest Supervisors and District Rangers have declared that they will no longer put out normal timber sales for bid. It just isn't worth the time, trouble and expense to prepare the projects and have them shot down in court due to frivolous lawsuits by the Sierra Club, Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Wildwest Institute, etc..

Can anything be done to restore multiple use in the National Forests? Yes. It will take time, energy and committment but not much money. The process is simple but not easy. It is called "coordination"— more precisely, the implementation of coordination laws which have been on the books for many years.

The detail for Sanders County coordination is contained in a document entitled the Sanders Natural Resource Plan (SNRP). The writing of this document is complete. The next step is for the County Commissioners to adopt it by resolution. Logic would predict that they will do this in the near future, if they are confident of four things: (1) the people want it, (2) they are equipped to implement it, (3) "coordination" is a tested and proven process and (4) the benefits will outweigh the costs.

I know for certainty that all four can be proven beyond any doubt.

You can get a copy of the Draft Plan from the Sanders County website: www.co.sanders.mt.us/home_page/current_news.html or call 826-0035. Read it and then begin letting our Commissioners know you want them to implement coordination.

Ron Olfert

Plains