Former U.S. Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth says he largely supports the amount of acreage targeted by a Clinton-era ban on road construction in national forests.
Bosworth, who retired Feb. 2 after a six-year stint as the agency's head, said he thinks about 50 million acres should remain roadless. The 2001 "roadless rule" prohibits logging, mining and other development on 58.5 million acres of wilderness in 38 states and Puerto Rico.
"I do believe most roadless areas should remain roadless," Bosworth told The Associated Press before being recognized Saturday night at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation's annual convention in Reno. "I believe that most wildlife would benefit from leaving most of those roadless areas roadless."
In September, U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Laporte reinstated the 2001 rule, and sided with 20 environmental groups and four states - California, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington - that had sued the Forest Service.
She said the Bush administration had failed to conduct necessary environmental studies before it instituted a process in May 2005 that required governors to petition the federal government to protect national forests in their states.
Bosworth said he favored the approach of the Bush administration because it addressed the concerns of many rural residents who thought they were ignored before the 2001 rule was imposed.
"I know there were 1.8 million comments (on the 2001 rule), but a lot of local people felt they were not listened to," he said. "I personally thought the most recent approach was making a lot of sense. The states were working hard to come up with a lot of public involvement."
Laporte's ruling halted that process, and Bosworth predicted it would take "quite a while yet" to resolve lawsuits over the roadless rule.
"I think in the end we'll probably see most of those areas being roadless," he said. "There's a lot of opposition to the roadless rule, but not a lot of opposition to those areas being roadless.
"In the end, what's important is making sure the bulk of the roadless areas are protected, and to do it in a way that most people feel they were listened to," he said.
Bosworth said there's a good reason the areas are wild: Most are located in high, rugged terrain where road building costs would be prohibitive.
Some of the areas may be added to the 30 million-plus-acre national forest wilderness system in the future, he added.
Bosworth was recognized by the 150,000-member elk foundation based in Missoula, Mont., for his efforts on behalf of partnerships to restore habitat for elk and other wildlife.
In December, new agreements between the foundation, Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management cleared the way for habitat improvement projects on nearly 260,000 acres in Montana and Wyoming.
The agreements draw on a mechanism called a "stewardship agreement," authorized by Congress a few years ago. The foundation will serve as a contractor arranging habitat work, and funding will come from the federal sale of wood products.
"I think it's a huge tool to protect wildlife, and I think it's a huge deal the foundation joined with the Forest Service and BLM on this particular project," Bosworth said. "I believe future partnerships like this have a bright future."
Foundation spokesman Mark Armstrong said the group wanted to recognize Bosworth for his 41-year career with the Forest Service and for being "a wonderful champion" of the foundation's work.
Since 1986, the foundation and Forest Service have joined forces on 200 projects designed to improve habitat for elk and other wildlife.
Montana forester Gail Kimbell succeeded Bosworth.Associated Press via Las Vegas Sun
