August 13, 2003

By Kathy Gibson Boatman

Queen Creek, Arizona

hlphzarrived@aol.com  or 480-570-1586

There is a great deal of support for the Healthy Forest Initiative in the Northeastern Counties of our state. I attended the Legislative Forest Health Summit in Showlow, Arizona, on August 12.

Mayors from all local cities were in attendance as well as Forest Service personnel, Senator Jon Kyl, Speaker of Arizona House Jake Flake, and Ken Bennett Arizona Senate President.

Experts from NAU testified on the severity of the problem, and the need for remediation. Ben Nuvamsa with the White Mountain Apache Tribe presented photos and documentation that support the benefits of thinning to improve forest health.

Senator Kyl spoke of the importance of support for the Healthy Forest Bill.

I had the opportunity to ask Senator Kyl if litigation was a factor in the Summerhaven fire. He said it definitely was a problem.

I also asked him if the problem was being made worse by lack of funding. He told me that funding is not the problem, litigation is, "If not an actual suit the threat of appeals and litigation is contributing to the problem."

I responded that I fully agreed with him, but that Senator McCain had just stated on KFYI radio "litigation wasn't the problem in the Summerhaven area, it was lack of funding."

It is clear that Senator McCain is failing to recognize the severity of the litigious atmosphere affecting forest management. Arizona is currently suffering in this atmosphere. Nearly half of the Rodeo Chediski fire was on Forest Service land, yet there will be no salvage of thousands of acres of trees. This is a direct consequence of litigation.

Ben Nuvamsa, WMAT stated, "Removal of overgrown materials will help restore streams, lakes and aquifers. We need water tables recharged." The Apache tribe has worked diligently to care for their land both before and after the fire. The care of this land includes thinning of trees. They are able to manage their forest because they are almost immune to litigation. They are required to do environmental impact analysis, as the Forest Service is. However, the Tribe is their audience and as a sovereign nation special interest groups utilizing litigation do not target them.

The Healthy Forest Bill will address the problems currently being experienced across the United States. Charles Denton from NAU stated, "We only have a finite time to deal with the current situation." He has witnessed the increasing severity of forest fires. He said in 41 years of forest experience he has never seen the extreme fire behavior exhibited by the Rodeo Chediski fire. He stated, "you would never see 3 plumes in one day like we did with the Rodeo fire." The dead trees across our state both from beetle infestation and forest fire are standing hazards in the forest, due to their dry conditions. They will begin to fall as they deteriorate and this will increase fire danger.

Diane Vosick, NAU Associate Director, Ecological restoration institute, spoke of the funding challenges. The forest service fire budget is being spent in greater amounts on fire suppression instead of fire prevention. She compared the problem with healthcare. It would be like spending money on treating illness versus spending money on preventing it. Another comparison made was "It is like putting lipstick on a cadaver."

Ed Collins, Lakeside District Ranger spoke of the increasing fire severity and the drought we are facing. He has taken numerous people on tours demonstrating the benefits of forest thinning. I asked Ed after the meeting why Forest Service personnel are not more outspoken about the need for the Healthy Forest Bill. He said if the Media approaches him he is able to answer questions, but he is not allowed to promote political issues. I have learned that Government employees often do not feel free to speak out on an issue, if it can be considered a political cause.

A Joint Legislative Task Force has been created with the purpose of recommending policies based on sound scientific principles for the restoration and long-term health of Arizona's forests and to determine realistic approaches for implementing those policies. Approaches to be reviewed by the task force include such things as the implementation of pilot programs on State owned forest land, partnerships between/among the State, local governments, federal agencies, other western states (creating regional approaches to collective issues) and coordinating joint efforts with the Congressional delegation to examine issues and solutions concerning applicable federal law and regulations (Legislative summit, Discussion Points-Healthy forest task force).

Existing industries cannot begin to handle the buildup of small trees in the forest. The Northern Arizona Coalition of Counties in connection with the Arizona Department of Commerce are working together in an effort to encourage Stewardship contracts and business partnerships to address the lack of a viable industry. An economically marketable solution is being sought to remove the buildup of small trees while providing added value through utilization of the resource. Biomass electrical generation is being studied as well as other options.

It is imperative that local government, citizens and elected officials support the Healthy Forest Bill. Allowing devastation to continue at this pace is morally reprehensible. Experts across the United States fully support the Healthy Forest Bill.

It is our responsibility as American citizens to help others understand the severity of this problem and to do everything possible to encourage bipartisan support.

Our water table, environment, natural resources, communities and the safety of American citizens depend upon it.