First Regular Session
Sixty-first General Assembly
LLS NO. R97@0810.01 BWM
STATE OF COLORADO
BY SENATORS Ament, Alexander, Bishop, Chlouber, Dennis, Hopper, Perlmutter, Powers, and Schroeder;
also REPRESENTATIVES Smith, Taylor, Entz, Adkins,
Alexander, Dyer, George, Johnson, Kaufman, Miller, Pankey, Reeser,
Salaz, Schwarz, and Young.
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 97-26
CONCERNING SUPPORT OF PROPER TIMBER HARVESTING AS
A MANAGEMENT TOOL TO ENSURE BETTER FOREST HEALTH IN COLORADO.
WHEREAS, The health of the national forests in Colorado
and the economies of rural communities are at risk as a result
of current national forest management practices; and
WHEREAS, The threat of fire, insects, and disease
endangers the health, happiness, and wellbeing of the citizens
of Colorado; and
WHEREAS, Timber programs on the national forests
have been almost completely eliminated in Colorado; and
WHEREAS, The proper uses of timber harvest as a management
tool can effectively contribute to restoring the health of forests;
and
WHEREAS, The proper use of timber harvest as a management
tool can help reduce dangerously high levels of fuels resulting
in the potential for catastrophic fires; and
WHEREAS, Prescribed fires, used without the complement
of timber harvest, often destroy economically viable, renewable
resources and violate air quality and visibility standards; and
WHEREAS, Better national forest timber programs are essential for proper stewardship of Colorado's forests and improvement of the health, condition, and structure of the natural environment; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty-first
General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives
concurring herein:
That we, the members of the General Assembly, respectfully
urge that:
(1) The United States Forest Service Chief and the
Colorado Congressional delegation support proper timber harvesting
as a management tool to ensure better forest health in Colorado;
(2) The Colorado Congressional delegation support
the Rocky Mountain Regional Forester's strategy to reverse the
decline of forest management programs and to reach a more effective
program level by the year 2000; and
(3) The Colorado Congressional delegation support
Congressional efforts to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and
accountability of national forest management.
Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to each member of Colorado's Congressional delegation, the Chief of the United States Forest Service, and the Rocky Mountain Regional Forester.