abundant wildlife it represents a part of our rich American heritage, which we cannot afford to lose. Respectfully yours, Senator LEE METCALF: ARNOLD AND THELMA ELSER. ELK CREEK RANCH, Augusta, Mont., June 6, 1968. Concerning the Lincoln Back Country being preserved as a wilderness area, we feel this should be done as soon as possible for these reasons. The demand for more recreational areas is growing every year and these areas are becoming scarcer every year. We feel that a place where people can enjoy clean air and water, hunt, fish and picture taking should be kept in its natural state for all who want to put forth a little effort to enjoy. We have been in the outfitting business for ten years and have taken a considerable number of people into this area every year from all over the United States. Most of these people state that they are glad to be able to come to a place that is free of automobiles, beer cans, highways and can breathe air free from smog and to drink water that isn't thick. We feel that our economy and the economy of the State of Montana will be seriously affected if the Lincoln Back Country isn't put into the Wilderness system. Sincerely, BABE AND ADDIE SAYRE. MONTANA WILDERNESS GUIDES ASSOCIATION, Seeley Lake, Mont., June 11, 1968. Hon. SENATOR LEE METCALF, Great Falls, Mont. SENATOR METCALF AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS: For the past twenty-three years, as a Dude Ranch operator and outfitter and guide, I have been actively engaged in providing for people from all walks of life and from all areas in the United States, the means of getting into the Mission Mountain Primitive Area, the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area, and the Flathead National Forest. In the pursuit of this profession it has been my privilege, and the privilege of all the members of our association, to observe at close hand, the ever-increasing use of these lands for recreation purposes by the public. And each year we have become more and more aware of the concern of the overwhelming majority of these people, regarding our wilderness system and its management. A short time ago this use and concern was reflected in the passage of the National Wilderness Act by the Congress of the United States. Today we are concerned with the proposal to add the Lincoln Back Country area to our wilderness system, which geographically complies with all requirements as stated in the Wilderness Act. There are those who contend that we need no further additions to our Wilderness System--that what we have now will fulfill the requirements for this type of recreation for all the years to come. This contention is difficult to comprehend, since the administrators of our existing wilderness areas have already become concerned with problems of management due to the increased used by the outdoorrecreation-minded public. And no planners today can accurately forecast what the impact is going to be when this country, in just three short years from now, gears up to fast-cheap-mass air jet transportation, in addition to the population rise, and the increased foreign travel to this country. The most modest of these planners predicts a near-doubled use of our recreation areas. The cold facts are that the stadium we live in is filling up. There are those who contend that an area such as the Lincoln Back Country with its spectacular scenic value should be utilized by a modern highway system for the use of the motoring vacationist. It is our contention that there are many scenic areas or drives throughout the West and especially in the state of Montana, far more suitable, appropriate and practical for this type of recreation use; and all too few left still unscarred by the aftermath of what we call progress. All of us are aware today of the problems caused by the tossing of refuse, cans, and bottles from automobiles. The container industry, in its research, is going to have to find a solution or we will be literally buried in cans and bottles. The administrators of public lands for recreation use, must consider very thoroughly the effects and results on a true wilderness area of this type of recreation for the masses. Our association feels very strongly that the Lincoln Back Country is a true quality wilderness area that should not be abandoned to this concept. There are those who say that the Lincoln Back Country will benefit our communities far more by harvesting the natural resources than by financial returns from recreation use. It is pointed out that a handful of outfitters taking in guests add but little to the economy. May we point out that the days of a handful of oufitters using the wilderness areas is rapidly drawing to a close. Large numbers of outfitters will be necessary to accommodate the increasing demands of the public to visit these areas. May we also point out that the fee system charged outfitters by the Forest Service is being nearly doubled next year, and in all probability will continue to rise in future years. It is entirely probable in the near future that a charge will be established for the general public for their use of wilderness areas. The income from these fees will all continue to rise as the demand for Wilderness-type recreation increases. Thus recreation use is an economic resource that cannot be exhausted, as long as we have a Wilderness System, with no deterioration of the natural resources within its boundaries. Wilderness Areas have an esthetic value that can not be measured by an economic yardstick, but this esthetic worth will yield the greatest harvest of all in the years to come for all mankind. The members of this association whom I represent today respectfully recommend to this committee, the addition of the Lincoln Back Country to our Wilderness system. Senator LEE METCALF, Great Falls, Mont. RICHARD K. HICKEY, Immediate Past President. HELENA, MONT., June 6, 1968. DEAR SENATOR METCALF: I would like to endorse wilderness status for the Lincoln-Scapegoat area as proposed under Senate Bill 1121. I have spent several summers backpacking into the Lincoln Back Country, especially the Webb and Heart Lake areas. I believe it is necessary to set aside this area as wilderness, especially the Webb-Heart Lake area, which already is receiving heavy use. Last June when snow was still on the trail I counted approximately 30 fishermen at Heart Lake in one day. Heart Lake is a five-mile walk. Some Montana wilderness areas, such as the Bob Marshall, are actually becoming crowded. Heart Lake has a thriving population of the rare Arctic grayling. Heart and other lakes within proposed wilderness boundaries contain the disappearing westslope blackspotted cutthroat trout. Montana National Forests are becoming increasingly developed with public access roads. An example is Park Lake near Helena. This 10-acre lake was opened several years ago with a Forest Service road. The public has made use of Heart: a Helena Boy Scout troop hauled 24 pickup truck loads of flattened beer cans, alone, out of the Park Lake area last summer. The Forest Service, with money appropriated by Congress, is now building a road into the remote Crow Creek area of Helena National Forest above Radersburg, Montana. It is necessary to build campground facilities and harvest timber, but it would seem desirable that a few large blocks of land, such as the Lincoln Back Country, be spared from the axe, bulldozer and campground developer. I regret that I am unable to personally attend and testify at the public hearing June 11 in Great Falls. Very truly yours, JOHN KUGLIN. CITY-COUNTY PLANNING BOARD, Butte, Mont., June 3, 1968. Senator FRANK CHURCH, DEAR MR. SENATOR: Upon hearing about the eagerness of private industry to encroach upon and demolish another percentage of Montana's Wilderness Areas I felt I must beg your support in opposition of such a movement. People the prime product of our nation, of our world, of our reason for existence are suffering enough through the selfish wants of industry. The selfish wants to even destroy the natural beauty of our state. What small percentage of land still has natural beauty? I am and will remain grateful for your support. Gratefully, Senator QUENTIN BURDICK, LEO J. BELANGER, City Planner. FALLS SUPPLY CO., INC., Great Falls, Mont., June 11, 1968. DEAR SENATOR BURDICK: Many of us in Montana are familiar with Senate Bill 1121 introduced by our Senators Mike Mansfield and Lee Metcalf relating to the preservation of the Lincoln-Scapegoat Wilderness Area in its present state. More and more people are becoming deeply concerned about the rapid loss of our wilderness areas in the United States. Certainly there are few places remaining that adapt themselves to retention in the original condition that Mother Nature presented them to us. The Lincoln-Scapegoat Wilderness Area is one of those which readily lends itself to its maintenance as a Wilderness Area to be henceforth enjoyed by the citizens of this Country in its original and scenically beautiful state. I join many, many others in imploring your favorable action on Senate Bill 1121 to retain the Lincoln-Scapegoat Wilderness Area. Yours very truly, To U.S. Subcommittee: R. D. ROWE, President. CASCADE COUNTY, MONT., Great Falls, Mont., September 23, 1968. I am in favor of keeping the Lincoln Back-Country as a wilderness area, so that people can use it to 'pack in" and hike-it may be the last frontier area available to them. I think the tourist income would more than equal the taxes that would result if it was put into industrial use. This is my opinion as a lover of the great outdoors and an avid sportsman. Respectfully submitted. Senator QUENTIN BURDICK, JOHN ST. JERMAIN, Member, Board of County Commissioners. STEVENSVILLE, MONT., September 20, 1968. Chairman, Lincoln-Scapegoat Back Country Wilderness Hearing, Great Falls, Mont. DEAR SENATOR BURDICK: I am Charley McDonald, from Stevensville, Montana. I was Forest Ranger on the Stevensville Ranger District, Bitterroot National Forest from 1944 to 1965, the year I retired. Prior to 1944, I was Ranger on the Salmon National Forest for four years, Ranger on the Minidoka National Forest for four years, Ranger on the Fishlake National Forest for six years, Ranger on the Teton National Forest for nearly four years, Jr. Range Examiner for nearly three years on the Uinta and Wyoming National Forests, and Ranger on the Wasatch National Forest for nearly five years, a total of forty-six years. During this time I became well acquainted with Primitive and Wilderness areas on the Beartooth, the High-Uintas, the Bridger and the Selway-Bitterroot as well as the Teton National Park, which was formed from a part of my District while I was on the Teton. During 1965 and 1966 I was privileged to spend over a month riding over much of the Scapegoat-Lincoln Back Country areas with Forest Officers, hunters and outfitters. A few days were spent on top of the Scapegoat Mountain, where the only access was over a very poor and dangerous "game trail." The entire area proposed for Wilderness designation is truly a wild, primitive area. I found most of the timbered areas supporting a stand of low quality timber of low commercial value at this time. Trunk-line trails at present, are good, altho most of the side trails, and those leading around the Scapegoat Mtn., are little better than game trails. However, they are passable for horseback and light pack duty, and are subjected to quite heavy use. The natural meadows used for grazing recreational horse use, remain in fair condition, as do camp sites. Fishing and hunting conditions are excellent. All the area for several miles around the Scapegoat is in truly primitive condition. The evidence of old sheep use are barely discernable, and only thru the eye of experience. It is possible to retain the Wilderness character of the entire area only if it is managed under Wilderness designation. It is my frank opinion that this should be accomplished by including the area in the Wilderness system. Any roads, logging, or heavy public use such as contemplated thru most multiple use plans, would certainly destroy the Wilderness values and characteristics of the area beyond repair. If the logging roads, clear-cutting and timber operations as managed as present on the Stevensville District, and other areas within the Bitterroot National Forest, that I have observed, is evidence of what may be expected from similar logging operations in the Lincoln-Scapegoat Back country, all wilderness aspects would be destroyed. This should not be permitted to occur, since wilderness conditions once lost can never be restored. The only possible way that the timber stands could be logged at a profit would be for the government to make large investments for road construction. The poor quality of the timber stands would require it sold at minimum rates, and would be less than for logging road construction. The effects of logging during the past half dozen years on the areas I have observed on the Bitterroot National Forest, have created unsightly appearances. seriously impaired and detracted from the beauty of the mountain slopes. The residents of this Valley have proprietary interest and pride in their green mountain slopes. They view the disfigurement from destructive logging methods with its resulting scars of an entire mountain slope, cut up by roads, clear-cuts. burns and terracing, with unfavorable reaction, and wide public concern. The appearance that is being created from these logging practices, is contrary to the aims intended under the Forest Service Multiple Use guide lines. Erosion problems and silting of farmers ditches and fields is also an increasing problem. traced to the above logging practices. Ever increasing clear-cut areas remain unstocked or very poorly stocked, because of failure to secure natural reproduction, and/or plantation failures. Expenditures of a hundred dollars per acre to secure preparation and planting. often fails to produce the desired new tree crop. Such a crop, ordinarily planned for a hundred-fifty year rotation, may well be set back twenty to thirty years or more. From my experiences with many of the present day Forest Officers, I am convinced that most of them have a negative attitude towards the need for establishing and administrating Wilderness Areas. Perhaps they lack appreciation of the value and place of Wilderness in Forest Management scheme of affairs. What ever the obstacles may be, the Lincoln-Scapegoat area would best serve the public needs by its ultimate inclusion in the National Wilderness system. I wish to have this testimony made a part of the permanent hearing record. Sincerely, Senator QUENTIN BURDICK, Senate Interior and Insular Affairs Committee, C. H. MCDONALD. MISSOULA SAWMILLS, INC., Missoula, Mont. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: Missoula Sawmills, Inc., a Western Montana based forest industry, welcomes the opportunity to present its views on Senate Bill S. 1121. commonly known as the Lincoln Back Country Bill. The Public Lands Interim Committee has previously held hearings aimed at discovering what the long term goals of public forest management should be. In spite of the variety of use interests, there was a clear consensus on long term goals of public forest management. These goals are stated as follows: The long term goals of public forest management should be to make life better for people. This, in our free and open society, means to produce more of what people want. It means more of the kind of environment that is wanted; recreation opportunities, good water and air and natural beauty. It also means more real wealth for people; generation of the income that can be used by people as they choose, and which subsequently creates the investment that creates other wealth producing industry and the reinvestment that is necessary to develop the forest itself, for all uses. In an analysis of the above stated goals the question must be asked, "What kind of environment do people want?" We immediately know that we enjoy the undisturbed forest in its pristine state, but, as we think a little further, we also realize that we enjoy our pleasant, comfortable homes and all the other conveniences furnished us by our modern technological society. We, as individuals, have particular tastes in recreational desires. To divide the public forest into segments in order to satisfy our own individual desires, is hardly reasonable. Perhaps, if we examine statistics, we can determine what type of recreation the majority of our population desires. Through this examination we found that most of the people in the United States who enjoy some form of outdoor recreation do so by auto travel. Therefore, it is safe to assume that most recreationists need roads to travel upon. Good water and air and natural beauty are probably desired to some degree by all of us. We believe that these desires have been and can be compatible with logical development of our public forest. Real wealth for people is of the essence so that we may exist to enjoy our learned desires. Without the economic ability to feed ourselves, and our children, we would perish as have some of the unfortunate individuals of India and of the other undeveloped portions of the world. India and portions of South America have vast areas of wilderness as we once had. The difference is that we developed our land and now utilize our resources to better our economic stature. The United States government, through its agencies, has inventoried the resources of this area, including the Lincoln Back Country, and has fostered the growth of industry to utilize these resources. Industry has grown in this portion of Montana because it has met the challenges and has been able to utilize the renewable resources of the public forest, for the benefit of all society. Are we now going to lock these resources up so that they will waste away and so that the industry which has grown will now die? What should we tell the men and woment who now earn their life bread, employed through the utilization of the resources from the public forest? We can only tell them that their government which has fostered jobs and a dream of a good future for them is now taking everything away and instead, giving it to a select few. To classify the Lincoln Back Country as wilderness would be indeed a social and economic injustice. For the above reasons we are strongly opposed to Bill S. 1121 which would designate the Lincoln Back Country as wilderness. LEONARD GONDEX. ANDERSON GRAIN CO., Great Falls, Mont., October 4, 1968. Hon. LEE METCALF, DEAR SENATOR: I was unable to attend your hearing on above subject in Great Falls, but understand the record is still open for expression of opinion on this subject. All of us in our company, both in the Great Falls office as well as our men at country elevators, are strongly in favor of preserving this area in its wilderness state. We feel that, as brought out at the hearing, there is not enough merchantable timber in the area to justify opening it up for that reason. As for the Forest Service argument that more roads and picnic grounds are needed to accommodate people who want to get out into the wilds, this argument is self-defeating. As we open up an area like this it is no longer in the wild state, and within a few years, becomes just like so much of our scenic mountain areas have become. Montana of all states, has so much good country that is already open to cars, trucks, cycles, etc., that we should bend over backward to preserve what little is left. Our people have plenty of opportunity now, to go with cars and cycles into beautiful mountain areas for fishing, hunting, picnics, etc. Moreover, there are more and more people that want to get into country that is still definitely in the wild state-they are fed up with competing on their hikes, with cars etc. We have a cabin on the North Fork of Sun River, above Gibson Dam and lake, on the North Fork trail that goes on into the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area, and positioned thus, we have an excellent chance to witness the |