2001 RESOLUTIONS
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RESOLUTION
#7: REFORM OF THE FOREST SERVICE (UNITED STATES)
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| The Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs is concerned that declining public confidence in the management of the national forests could lead to decisions that might break up this system of federal ownership. Concerns arise out of a history of excessive commercialization and a preoccupation with cutting trees as the means of managing forests. The idea of "multiple use" provides no guidance on resolving conflicts between public uses, with bureaucrats having to make inappropriate policy decisions. | |
| To cure these problems
fundamental reforms are needed to redefine the mission and the way in
which the national forests will be managed. The Federation calls
upon Congress to reformulate the basic charter for the national forests
along these lines: |
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| 1. The mission of the
system of national forests in the United States should be to establish
and maintain the health of forest ecosystems as habitat (replacing the
mission of multiple use). |
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| 2. The production of
commodities should no longer be a purpose of the national forest system. |
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| 3. The public should be
allowed to use the national forests for recreation in ways, and in
times and places, that are not destructive to the forest ecosystems. |
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| 4. The Forest Service
should be required to hire professionals with a wide variety of
training and skills so that it can operate in an
inter-disciplinary manner. |
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| 5. Clear standards for
performance should be established to measure the well-being of forest
ecosystems -- at a national level, for each administrative region and
for each national forest. |
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| 6. Plans for national
forests should focus on applying established standards and showing how
they will be met. Plans should be brief and clear and indicate
how difficult goals will be met and conflicts resolved. They
should be based on public input and professional expertise. |
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| 7. Funds to manage the
national forests should be derived from funds appropriated by Congress
from the federal treasury. |
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| 8. Citizens should have
the right to appeal decisions made by Forest Service officials that
they
believe are not consistent with the mission of the national forests,
that fail to meet performance standards, or that are otherwise contrary
to law. Those appeals should be heard by administrative courts,
meeting professional legal standards that are separate from the Forest
Service. |
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| 9. Citizens should have
the right to file petitions with federal courts to find the
administrators of national forests in default of their obligations to
pursue the mission of the national forests or to meet established
standards of performance. Courts should be able to find forests
in default and to apply appropriate remedies, such as putting them into
receivership for a time under alternate management (such as by a land
conservancy). |
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