The Associated Press: Scientists, Economists Oppose Bush Plan on Forests

WASHINGTON (AP) ‹ More than 125 scientists, including chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall and biologist Edward O. Wilson, have a signed a letter opposing the Bush administration's plan to reverse a Clinton-era ban on road building and logging in 58 million acres of remote national forests.

And in a separate letter, more than 110 economists, including Nobel laureate Kenneth Arrow, also oppose the plan, which would require governors to petition the federal government to block road-building in about a third of national forests where it is now prohibited.

Groups circulating the letters say they show widespread opposition to the administration's forest policies in the scientific and economic communities.

"I think it 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," said Dominick Della Salla, a forest ecologist and director of the World Wildlife Fund's Klamath-Siskiyou Program in southern Oregon.

Della Salla and other conservationists circulated the scientists' letter in recent weeks through the Internet and e-mail. In all, 127 scientists from 30 states signed the six-page document, which was submitted to the Forest Service this week.

"A strong roadless conservation rule is one of the cornerstones to sustainable public lands management, biodiversity conservation and ecosystem health of the national forests," the letter says. "Therefore we request that you reinstate the 2001 Roadless Conservation Rule that received very thoughtful input by scientists and the public."

The letter from economists says the new policy would increase public subsidies of private timber companies, who already receive tens of millions of dollars in public money to build forest roads for logging and other purposes.

The Forest Service cannot adequately maintain all 430,000 miles of existing roads in national forests, the letter said, adding that any new roads would add to a maintenance backlog estimated at more than $10 billion.

Heidi Valetkevitch, a spokeswoman for the Forest Service, said the agency welcomed the two letters, as it does all public comments on the forest proposal. The administration has said it will accept comments through Nov. 15 before making a final decision.

"We look forward to reviewing these particular letters, as well as the thousands of other comments we have received," Valetkevitch said. "We are committed to maintaining the character of designated roadless areas and protecting and managing roadless values."

In addition to Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, and Wilson, professor emeritus at Harvard, others signing the letter include A. Carl Leopold, distinguished scientist emeritus at Cornell and the son of naturalist Aldo Leopold.

Robert Beschta of Oregon State University and James Strittholt, executive director of the Conservation Biology Institute in Corvallis, also signed the letter.

Those signing the second letter include Richard Norgaard, economics professor at the University of California and a member of the Environmental Protection Agency's Science Advisory Board; Barry Solomon of Michigan Technological University; and Ronald Davies of the University of Oregon.