Logging on our National Forests

[Don Baccus]

In article <01bcf068$69ac5d20$28114dc6 at default>,
Emil Knutti <eknutti at access.mountain.net> wrote:

>The Monongahela National Forest located in West Virginia is one.  I know
>because I live here.  In fact, the Monongahela was formed either just
>before or just after the signing of the Weeks Act.  The purpose of that Act
>was in part to reclaim land which had been stripped of timber and was
>therefore a flood hazard.  

>What many people may not realize is that not all National Forest were part
>of what is commonly thought of as the Public Domain.  A high percentage of
>the Monongahela resulted from tax delinquent property or from property that
>people thought they could not afford to pay the taxes on because it was
>perceived to be worthless after the timber was removed and therefore sold
>it VERY CHEAP!
>

Actually, I do realize this, but wasn't aware that such lands were
under formal consideration for wilderness.  
-- 

- Don Baccus, Portland OR <dhogaza at pacifier.com>
  Nature photos, on-line guides, at http://donb.photo.net