Washington, DC - Today, Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR) held a hearing of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee to review his legislation (S. 868) to restore forest land to the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians.
"Native Americans have a deep commitment to the land, and stewardship is in their bones," Smith said. "Public ownership is important, but we shouldn't exclude the Tribes from playing an active role in forest management."
S. 868 would transfer approximately 63,000 acres of the Siuslaw National Forest to the U.S. Department of the Interior, to be held and managed in trust for the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw. Under the legislation, casinos and lumber mills would be prohibited while all existing public access, including hunting, fishing and recreation, would be protected.
The forests will be managed to achieve the same objectives as neighboring forests, and in compliance with all applicable laws, such as the Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, and the National Indian Forest Resources Management Act. About 4 million board feet of timber would be generated through thinning of overstocked tree stands. Twenty percent of revenues generated will be reinvested in watershed restoration projects and will contribute to the objectives of the Governor's Oregon Plan for salmon recovery. Finally, all "old growth" stands will be set aside from timber harvest while timber sales will be offered for competitive bid to non-tribal entities.
"This legislation offers a change in course," Smith said. "The Tribes propose doing precisely what the Forest Service wants to do, but is limited by procedural analysis and funding shortfalls. By allowing the Tribes to manage a small portion of the Siuslaw National Forest, thinning projects would be accelerated. Not only would this help meet the needs of threatened species, but it would provide revenues to the tribe for social services and jobs for the local economy."
Witnesses testifying at the hearing included Mark Rey, USDA Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment; Cheryl Hoiles, Tribal Council, Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians; Peter Wakeland, Director of Natural Resources, the Confederated Tribes of Grande Ronde; Jay Ward, Conservation Director, Oregon Natural Resources Council.
