
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, March 10, 1991                   TAG: 9103110290
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: D-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

LOGGERS GET NO SUBSIDIES IN FORESTS

IT IS UNFORTUNATE your source of information for the Feb. 18 editorial was the Wilderness Society, which in all probability has prejudiced your thoughts on our local national forests.

Road building may be a cost of logging; but in reality, it is a tremendous long-term benefit to the recreationist and, most important, for fire suppression and future forest management. Road-building costs are truly surpassed by U.S. Forest Service planning costs, according to the Society of American Foresters magazine.

Unfortunately, the costs of wildlife improvement and many poor-quality clear cuts have been charged against the timber account. Many appellants continuously challenge the Forest Service's timber program, adding again to the costs. Our forests are very close to the large, metropolitan, politically charged areas with tremendous media hype, all adversarial to forest management and costs.

As an owner/operator of five certified tree farms in Virginia, I feel there are absolutely no subsidies to loggers in the national forests. Everything is out on public bid on a competitive basis. Perhaps the bureaucracy of the Forest Service, created by the public, must be seriously addressed immediately to eliminate at-loss timber sales. Yes, I sell timber at a cost of zero to $8 per thousand board feet compared to U.S. Forest Service costs of $60 to $70 (Jefferson National Forest).

Remember, there is tremendous knowledge in the cities, but true wisdom remains in the woods! BILL BRAUNWORTH FORT DEFIANCE

by CNB