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

DATE: SATURDAY, July 23, 1994                   TAG: 9407250043
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: CATHRYN McCUE
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

GROUP WANTS TIMBER CUT TO BE AXED

A group has filed an appeal of a timber cut near the Apple Orchard Falls area in Botetourt County.

The group asked the U.S. Forest Service on Thursday to stop plans to sell 27 acres of timber near a ``special management area'' in the Jefferson National Forest.

In a lengthy document mailed to the agency's regional headquarters in Atlanta, the opponents outlined their reasons, including:

The sale does not adhere to the agency's new mandate for ecosystem management, but instead focuses on a single stand of trees.

The Apple Orchard/North Creek area is a special place for people because of its recreational and aesthetic value.

Logging would damage wildlife habitat for several species and would fail to yield significant economic gain.

The Jefferson National Forest, in approving the sale, said the cut would meet its management plan, improve forest health by stymieing the advance of the gypsy moth and yield financial benefits.

The petitioners include the Citizens Task Force, a forest service watchdog group, The Mill Mountain Garden Club, Roanoke Valley Preservation, Valley Beautiful Foundation and the Roanoke Chapter of the Archeological Society of Virginia.

The Forest Service regional office has 45 days to respond to the appeal.

by CNB