Common Sense Overdue for Forest Management

“Selling Out the Forests� (editorial, Dec. 3), on forest policy and changes to the forest planning process, ignores many of the key issues surrounding the changes. Multiple uses of national forests play a critical role in local and regional economies, while assuring that wildlife and wilderness are preserved over the long term. Unfortunately, abuse of the Endangered Species Act and the use of litigation by “environmental� groups to impose de facto wilderness have stopped effective planning and many uses for our public lands.

A common-sense approach to the administration of public lands is long overdue, as clearly illustrated by the tremendous fires throughout the nation in 2002. These conflagrations should remove any doubt about the need to reform forest management practices.

Greg Gage

Yucaipa