Roadless rules won't affect Kisatchie
The Town Talk                     May 10, 2001

    Kisatchie National Forest should not be affected by President Bush's decision to implement a rule left over from the Clinton administration to ban road building in 58.5 million acres of national forest land, or by Bush's plans for some changes in the policy.

    In a prepared news release, the Louisiana Society of American Foresters said it supports forest conservation efforts when made on a "forest-by-forest basis," and when each location is "analyzed locally."

    The society, comprised of professional foresters, said the forest plan for Kisatchie, as revised in August 1999, created three roadless areas -- the Kisatchie Hills Wilderness, Cunningham Brake Natural Area, and Saline Bayou National Scenic River Corridor.

    The Saline Bayou corridor is located west-northwest of Winnfield.  Kisatchie Hills and Cunningham Brake are approximately halfway between Colfax and Many.

    The society said the areas were considered for recommendation for further protection, but "were deemed to have adequate protection."

    Louisiana Forestry Association Executive Director Buck Vandersteen, who also serves as treasurer of the Louisiana Society of American Foresters, said he agrees with the group's observations.

    "But the bigger problem is in western communities where local input was not adequately considered,"Vandersteen said.

    He said he fears problems in fighting wildfires and combating insect infestation in those areas without proper access.

    "Threre's an attitude among some people that we should just leave the forest alone and let Mother Nature take care of things," Vandersteen said.  "But Mother Nature often uses broad brushes."

    Vandersteen said the western wildfires of 2000 show what can happen, and said the government must "make sure that fire problems and insect problems don't bleed over or wash over onto private land."

    U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Venemen announced on May 4 that the roadless rules would be kept in place, but said the USDA Forest Service will begin a new rulemaking process to address concerns.

    The Society of American Foresters said it supports roadless area conservation, but said it believes "these areas should be conserved through the forest planning process at the individual national forest level."

    The group said it hopes the Bush administration will develop rules to:

    --  Establish national standards to guide roadless area conservation.

    --  Require Forest Service line officers to apply standards through the forest planning process.

    --  Eliminate national application of the current rule.

    --  Require Forest Service line officers to make decisions about roadless areas at the local level with adequate state and public participation.

    --  Require compliance with all environmental laws.

    The association said it prefers to see the administration act on rules through the amendment process to having it done by the courts.