| Wilderness Society Seeks
Protection of Alabama Forests
(Note: Along with all the language deception that you're about to read, now they're even calling Federal lands that are forests 'wildlands.' But, doesn't the USDA Forest Service and Dept. of Interior keep telling us that they have nothing to do with 'The Wildlands Project?' Yeah, right ... ) March 17, 2003 Birmingham, Alabama (ENS) - Two dozen wild and natural areas within Alabama's Bankhead and Talladega National Forests should be protected from development, according to a new report from The Wilderness Society. The report, "Alabama's Mountain Treasures" was released Monday and outlined why and how these lands should be protected. It describes these areas as home to some of the world's most diverse plant and animal life, complete with some of Alabama's last free flowing streams, high quality fisheries, canyons, caves and old growth forests. Only 10 percent, or 34,000 acres, of the lands within the Bankhead and Talladega National Forests are fully protected. The U.S. Forest Service is taking public comments on environmental impact assessments of its management plans for the forests. "Nature has given us a perfectly balanced ecosystem in Alabama's mountain treasures," said Frank Peterman, The Wilderness Society's southeast regional director. "They are rich in beauty, biodiversity and cultural significance. They must be protected." It is not just for the sake of conservation that these protections are merited, Peterman explained. Many towns in the Southern Appalachians, including Gadsen, Alabama, get their drinking water from National Forests. Protection of these lands, the report details, will not come at the expense of timber interests because the lands in question are unsuitable for logging. It says the lands could be used for a host of recreational activities, such as camping, hiking, fishing, hunting and canoeing. "In protecting these wildlands, we will strengthen both Alabama's environment and our economy," Peterman said. The Wilderness Society targeted the 24 specific places because of their ecological diversity and recreational value as well as their importance in keeping watersheds intact and preserving habitat for the wildlife. In addition, these protecting these wild places will protect the heritage of Native American tribes that once lived within them. "These special places are owned by the public," Peterman said. "They must be preserved for our children and our grandchildren." |