Senator ALLEN. Our next witness is Mr. C. W. Moody.

Mr. Moody, we are delighted to have you appear before our subcommittee. I am filling in for Senators Eastland and Aiken, who have been delayed, and this gives me a wonderful opportunity to greet my friends from Alabama. We are delighted that you have come before this subcommittee today to give the Senate the benefit of your views. I know of no one in the entire State of Alabama who is more knowledgeable on this subject than you are. We look forward to hearing your testimony and receiving the benefit of your recommendations.

STATEMENT OF C. W. MOODY, STATE FORESTER, ALABAMA
FORESTRY COMMISSION, MONTGOMERY, ALA.

Mr. MOODY. Senator, I appreciate it very much and it is a particular pleasure for me to appear before this subcommittee chaired by the distinguished Senator from Alabama.

fit.

Senator ALLEN. Thank you. You may proceed in any way you see

Mr. MOODY. I am Bill Moody, State forester of the Alabama Forestry Commission. I shall subsequently, Senator, testify favorably concerning Senate bill 3224. The major portion of my remarks will be directed toward the deliberations of this committee as you consider a wild area bill framework for the East, and in particular, the South, and in particular, Alabama.

The Alabama Forestry Commission feels very strongly its legislated responsibility to the people of Alabama to insure that our forests meet the total needs of all citizens. These forests should also contribute to the needs of this great Nation to the maximum degree possible. All these needs must be met on an ever-diminishing forest land base.

The question before this committee and before Congress is, in essence, "Shall we have a wild areas East bill?" And, if so, "What form shall it take?" The Alabama Forestry Commission feels it incumbent on it to offer the following items for consideration as these questions are considered-I offer 14 points, Senator, and I will hit briefly on these if I may.

1. We believe it will be good to consider the natural resources and the production of our lands are the foundation to this Nation's wealth and contributes greatly to our strength.

2. It is estimated that we must increase products harvested from the Nation's forests by more than 100 percent by the year 2000.

3. Wood and forest products are one of the few major commodity groups in which this great Nation is competitive on foreign markets. 4. Any diminishing of foreign sales to meet increasing domestic needs will be detrimental to our foreign market position and to our balance of payments.

5. Much of the forecast increase must come from the fast-growing forests of the South. Withdrawal of these lands from the production of forest products will have greater impact than the withdrawal of lands in regions of slower growth.

6. Any withdrawal of commercial forest lands in the South will have a detrimental effect to the production of products to meet the Nation's needs.

7. Our forests must supply other needs of a growing population with an ever-increasing appetite for hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, and all other forms of outdoor recreation.

8. These forests must also contribute otherwise to the quality of life in our Nation in many ways, such as watershed protection, air quality, scenic beauty, mental and physical refreshment of our citizens, et

cetera.

9. The preponderance of the needs of our citizens can be filled on forest lands managed according to the multiple-use concept.

10. The needs of many citizens to establish an identity with nature somewhat akin to the wilderness experience can be met in southern forests managed on long rotations of 75 to 150 years.

11. To meet the needs of the Nation for products, we are striving to achieve an average growth of 1 cord per acre per year on commercial forestlands in the South. This is equivalent to approximately 330 board-feet growth per acre per year. At present stumpage prices, this would be approximately $20 per acre per year saw timber volume. The Chief of the Forest Service has estimated that for every dollar returned to the landowner, there is an ensuing return to the economy of the State and Nation in the manufacture, remanufacture, and transport of forest products of some $15. This would indicate the potential impact caused by the withdrawal of commercial forestlands from the forest base would be $300 per acre per year. This is a legitimate figure only if commercial forests are intensively managed. Intensive management to this degree is nct an attractive economic investment to most private landowners at this point. A bill previously considered and acted on favorably by this committee, S. 3105, will have a salutary effect on this situation. Genetically improved trees will allow for even higher contributions per acre in future years.

12. A shortage of the products from our forests would bring about an increase in the price of building materials with a detrimental effect on housing for the Nation's people.

13. Many unique ecological areas are found on submarginal timberproducing land. The beneficient impact for total contribution to America's needs will be enhanced when the areas selected are on noncommercial forest land.

14. Many unique ecological conditions exist on small acreages. Provisions to designate these smaller areas would be advantageous because:

(1) Smaller blocks would allow for wider distribution of such areas and make them more available to the total population.

(2) These areas could be observed from the perimeter in many instances without ecological damage.

(3) A wider range of the population such as the aged and infirmed would be able to enjoy such areas.

The above factors are stated for consideration by this committee, not to discourage the preservation of wild areas, but should be considered in any broad program designed to develop such areas in the South.

The Alabama Forestry Commission endorses the concept that the forests of this great Nation should serve all the legitimate needs of her citizens. Legitimate needs are defined as recreation, quality en

vironment, watersheds, forest products, et cetera. Legitimate needs include those needs our citizens have for a wilderness experience.

There is an essential difference in our society between the roles played by privately owned lands and public lands. Private landowners are engaged in managing their land to meet personal objectives whether monetary, recreational, esthetic, or otherwise. We do not condone those activities of private landowners which degrade the environment or which otherwise are detrimental to society, but we defend their right as individuals in our free enterprise system to pursue their personal objectives on their land.

Private landowners are rapidly becoming more cognizant of their responsibility to practice forestry as it relates to the total good of the Nation. Attached to this statement is a position adopted by the Alabama Forestry Association concerning forestry practices. This is an association which represents forest landowners and most forest industries in the State of Alabama. Many of their members are adjusting their forestry practices as a result of this position.

Many forest industries are taking steps to preserve areas, such as wilderness areas and other small areas left in the wild state on their land.

We believe that forest lands now in public ownership should fill the legitimate needs of all citizens which are not being filled on privately owned lands. All public lands should be managed to provide their maximum contribution to all areas of legitimate forest use.

We believe that private landowners are coming to the point that they are practicing forestry in the interests of the total good of the Nation and we have attached to our statement a position by the Alabama Forest Products Association which many of their member companies and member landowners are adopting, and we believe is a tremendously responsible position and one that is good for the State of Alabama.

The Alabama Forestry Commission concludes that there are certain unique ecological conditions which should be preserved and left unmanaged for posterity, for scientific exploration and study, for gene banks for natural species, and to meet the needs of those citizens desiring wilderness areas for their use and enjoyment. The term "unique ecological conditions," however, is a subjective term. For this reason and to prevent a continuing point of controversy between those desiring wilderness areas and other citizens having needs to be filled by public forest lands, we recommend that consideration be given to establishing a ratio in the share of public lands to be devoted to the preservation of unique ecological conditions. One approach would be the ratio of the population desiring wilderness-type recreation to those citizens whose needs can be met following the multiple-use concept of forest management on public lands.

We would also recommend that consideration be given to the development of a system to monitor the use of areas set aside, and should their use not justify their existence, they be returned to the multipleuse concept.

The Alabama Forestry Commission supports Senate bill 3224 establishing the Sipsey Wilderness Area and the Sipsey National Recrea

tion Area, as introduced by the distinguished Senators from Alabama. We believe this bill is compatible with our position as stated above and urge passage of this important legislation.

We recommend that the testimony be considered in the deliberations of this committee and this Congress because we are convinced if these factors are considered and represented in the final product, the total quality of life of the Nation's people will be enhanced. (The attachment is as follows:)

FOREST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES RECOMMENDED BY ALABAMA FOREST PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION, ADOPTED BY BOARD OF DIRECTORS-JANUARY 7. 1972

A. Areas to be harvested by the clearcutting system should be kept as small and as narrow as practical. Large, wide clearcuts should be avoided.

B. Clearcutting should not be employed on an area adjacent to lands recently harvested by this method. The lapse of time should be sufficient for the newly established forest growth to present a pleasing appearance and afford game cover. C. Hardwood types should be left along stream beds and drains and managed as hardwoods. Clumps of hardwood trees, including den trees and good foodproducing trees, should be left in other areas.

D. The forested area along stream beds should not be clearcut but managed as uneven-aged forest.

E. Forested strips should be left along highways for their aesthetic value until such time as harvested areas behind them are tall enough for their removal.

F. Control burning should be considered at periodic intervals for hazard reduction and to encourage the growth of food plants for wildlife.

G. Streams should be kept clear of tops.

Senator ALLEN. Thank you. We appreciate your coming before the subcommittee and giving us the benefit of your views as State forester and as representing the Alabama Forestry Commission.

I know it is not under your control or management, but is a lot of timber cutting done in the Bankhead National Forest?

Mr. MOODY. Yes, sir. There is a good deal of timber cutting on the Bankhead National Forest.

Senator ALLEN. Well now, do they adopt a practice of clear-cutting? What sort of practice do they have there? Do you know?

Mr. MOODY. Senator, I believe they used clear-cutting as one of the tools for their forestry practices.

Senator ALLEN. Well now, when that is done in these uplands areas, doesn't it result in a whole lot of erosion and washing of soil down into the streams down in the gorges?

Mr. MOODY. If it is done on too steep an area, yes, sir. Clear-cutting can be done in areas that are detrimental to the environment and to the ecology of the area. But we also believe that clear-cutting is a legitimate bona fide forest practice on certain forest lands. As I said, it can be done on areas that are detrimental to the total good. In fact, the Alabama Forestry Association speaks to this, in that they say that those areas that are steep for their member people, those areas that are steep and where environmental damage would result, they recommend that clear-cutting not be accomplished. So there are some damages from clear-cutting in certain conditions.

Senator ALLEN. Well, I notice that in your testimony you spoke of the importance of meeting the needs of the people of the Nation, for more and more timber on less and less land. Isn't it a fact that the

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