Last modified: Sun Aug 3 01:44:09 EDT 2003
April 17, 2003
Jerry Callen
63 Orchard Street
Cambridge, MA 02140
White Mountain National Forest Plan Revision
719 North Main Street
Laconia, NH 03246
Dear Forest Service folks:
I am writing in regards to the upcoming revision of the White Mountain National Forest management plan. Of the 4 alternatives being considered, none are perfect, but Alternative 3 seems most in agreement with my own vision of the WMNF. The others are, to my mind, not worth considering, so I will limit my comments to Alternative 3.
As I examined the maps of the various alternatives, I was struck by how just incredibly small the WMNF is; it's bounded by a square that's perhaps 50 miles on a side. It's easy to forget that when you're, say, standing at Zeacliff Overlook gazing into the Pemi, but nonetheless, the Whites are much smaller than the enormous forests and parks in the west. This makes the preservation of the WMNF as wilderness incredibly important to those of us in densely settled New England.
I am an avid hiker and backcountry skier. As such, my personal interest is in seeing as much of the WMNF as possible closed to activities that would interfere with the serenity and natural beauty that I seek while hiking and skiing. I'm particularly concerned that Alternative 3 would allow timber harvest in portions of the Wild River Valley north of Jackson. This area is well used by both hikers and skiers, and I would like to see it closed to timber harvests.
More generally, I urge you to maintain the current prohibitions on vehicular traffic (such as dirt bikes and ATVs) in the Forest. In New England there are few places one can go to escape the noise of our motorized society; please keep the WMNF quiet! In the winter, I hope that snowmobile use can be segregated from skiing and snowshoeing.
I appreciate the effort that has gone into developing these proposals. As the signs say, the Whites are a "land of many uses," and I know that you face pressure from diverse constituencies, most of them better organized - and funded - than the solitary, self-propelled visitors like me. While their needs must also be considered, I urge you to keep your sights fixed on conservation and wilderness. Future generations will surely thank you.
Sincerely,
Jerry Callen