Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 3, 1994 TAG: 9411030107
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CATHRYN McCUE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
These days, the Jefferson National Forest is cutting fewer trees, building fewer roads and clear-cutting less land.
The 710,000-acre federal forest, which stretches from Rockbridge County to Washington County, also is building fewer hiking trails and wildlife habitats.
One reason is less money. The forest had an $11 million budget for its 1994 fiscal year, which ended in September. That's about $1 million less than last year, according to the supervisor's annual report.
The forest will hold its eighth annual public conference Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at forest headquarters at Valleypointe, off Peters Creek Road. The meeting is free and open to the public.
"One thing I'd like people to know is I think this gives the whole wealth of things we do. It's more than just timber management," forest Supervisor Joy Berg said of the report.
Berg, the six district rangers and other forest staffers will be available to discuss the multiple, sometimes conflicting, uses of the forest.
The Jefferson remains a "below-cost" forest, meaning it spends more than it gets for selling timber, but the gap is shrinking. This year, the forest made two cents more than last year on every dollar it spent to harvest timber.
In fiscal 1993, the forest got 57 cents for every dollar it spent, for a total timber revenue of $1,092,494. This year, the forest made 59 cents on the dollar, for a total revenue of $1,818,388.
The price of wood has increased, Berg said, and the Jefferson is selling more valuable sawtimber rather than pulpwood, which helps explain the increase in return. Also, Congress has directed all below-cost forests to reverse the trend.
Another recent directive came from the U.S. Forest Service chief - to reduce clear-cutting on national forests. The Jefferson sold 317 acres for clear-cut last year, down from 941 acres in fiscal 1991.
Road building decreased from 8.5 miles in fiscal 1991 to 2.6 miles last year. Road repairs also dropped from 31 miles to 10 miles in the same period.
Also in the past year, the Jefferson National Forest:
Began a "face lift" of the popular Cascades Recreation Area in Giles County, including reconstruction of the trail and a new platform at the trailhead.
Improved the Apple Orchard Falls trail and several trails in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, and completed half of the 14-mile Patterson Creek "all-terrain vehicle" trail in the New Castle District.
Many trails were damaged by last winter's ice storms, and the forest relied heavily on volunteer groups such as the Appalachian Trail Club to clear debris.
Inventoried 11,830 acres for threatened and endangered species, a vast increase from past years, and also increased habitat and structural improvements for threatened and endangered species.
Continued maintaining habitat for game species such as deer, bear, grouse and wild turkey, and monitoring effects of logging on salamanders, songbirds and other sensitive species.
Reviewed use of wilderness areas, although money for the program has decreased steadily to $150,000 last year.
Monitored air-pollution effects on trees, acid-rain effects on streams, and watershed health.
Acquired 943 acres of land, including five tracts along the Appalachian Trail.
by CNB