**STATEMENT**

**JOEL HOLTROP**

**DEPUTY CHIEF**

**NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM**

**FOREST SERVICE**

**UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT of AGRICULTURE**

**BEFORE THE**

**U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES**

**COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE**

**SEPTEMBER 27, 2007**

**CONCERNING:**

**H.R. 1011 -- Virginia Ridge and Valley Act of 2007**

Thank you for the opportunity today to provide the Department's view on
H.R. 1011, the Virginia Ridge and Valley Act of 2007. I am Joel Holtrop,
Deputy Chief, National Forest System of the Forest Service.

H.R. 1011 would designate 27,817 acres in the Jefferson National Forest
as new components of the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS).
Specifically, the bill would designate the following areas: Brush
Mountain East Wilderness, Brush Mountain Wilderness, Raccoon Branch
Wilderness, Stone Mountain Wilderness, Hunting Camp Creek Wilderness,
and Garden Mountain Wilderness. H.R. 1011 would also designate 11,344
acres as additions to existing wilderness areas namely, Mountain Lake
Wilderness, Lewis Fork Wilderness, Little Wilson Creek Wilderness,
Shawvers Run Wilderness, Peters Mountain Wilderness, and Kimberling
Creek Wilderness.

H.R. 1011 would designate 3,226 acres in the Jefferson National Forest
as the \"Lynn Camp Creek Wilderness Study Area.\" The bill also would
designate 349 acres depicted on the map as the \"Kimberling Creek
Additions and Potential Wilderness Area\" as a potential wilderness area
for eventual incorporation in the Kimberling Creek Wilderness. The bill
would set forth requirements regarding ecological restoration within
this area and would provide for the designation of the area as a
wilderness within five years.

In addition, the bill would designate 11,583 acres of the Seng Mountain
and Bear Creek areas as national scenic areas for purposes of ensuring
the protection and preservation of scenic quality, water quality,
natural characteristics, and water resources; protecting wildlife and
fish habitat; protecting areas that may develop characteristics of
old-growth forests; and providing a variety of recreation opportunities.

Finally the bill would direct the Secretary of Agriculture to develop a
management plan for the designated national scenic areas. The Secretary
also would be required to develop a trail plan for hiking and equestrian
trails on lands designated as wilderness by this Act and to develop a
plan for non-motorized recreation trails within the Seng Mountain and
Bear Creek National Scenic Areas. The bill also would direct the
Secretary to develop a sustainable non-motorized trail in Smyth County,
Virginia.

We recognize and commend the delegation and the Committee for its
collaborative approach and local involvement that has contributed to the
development of this bill. The Department supports several of the
designations included in the bill but we object to other designations
and to mandatory planning and construction requirements. The Department
would like to work with the Committee to offer suggestions which we
think will improve H.R. 1011.

**Wilderness Proposals**

During the development or revision of a forest land and resource
management plan (LRMP), a national forest conducts an evaluation of
potential wilderness or wilderness study areas that satisfies the
definition of wilderness found in section 2(c) of the Wilderness Act of
1964. On National Forest System (NFS) lands in the Eastern United States
(east of the 100^th^ meridian) the criteria for evaluating potential
wilderness recognizes that much, if not all of the land, shows signs of
human activity and modification. The Record of Decision for the revised
Jefferson National Forest LRMP, signed on January 15, 2004, was
developed over an 11-year period with extensive public involvement. It
contains recommendations for 25,200 acres of wilderness study areas,
including new wilderness study areas and additions to existing areas
designated as wilderness.

The Department supports the provisions in H.R. 1011 that would designate
new components of the NWPS that are consistent with the Jefferson
National Forest LRMP recommendations for wilderness study. These areas
are the proposed Garden Mountain, Hunting Creek Camp, and Stone Mountain
Wilderness areas.

The Department supports the designation of additions to existing
wilderness areas for the following areas: Kimberling Creek A and B
Additions, Lewis Fork Addition, Little Wilson Creek Addition, Mountain
Lake A and C Additions, Peters Mountain Addition, and Shawvers Run A
Addition.

The Department does not oppose the designation of the \"Lynn Camp Creek
Wilderness Study Area," the Mountain Lake B Addition, and Shawvers Run
Additions B and C areas. However, we have concerns about the suitability
of the Lynn Camp Creek Wilderness Study Area as a component of the NWPS
due to its small size, configuration, and manageability (due to
outstanding mineral rights). The Department is willing to work with the
committee to look at other options for protection of this area. We also
have concerns about the suitability of the Mountain Lake B Addition and
the Shawvers Run Additions B and C as components of the NWPS due to
their size and configuration. An additional concern with the Mountain
Lake Addition B is that it contains a 59-acre private inholding which
could require associated road access in the future if the parcel is
developed.

The Department does not support the designation as "potential
wilderness" for the 349-acre portion of the Kimberling Creek area. The
designation "Potential Wilderness" is not a designation referenced in
the Wilderness Act of 1964. A subsequent designation of wilderness
following a fixed time period and associated compulsory changes in
conditions can serve to limit the Secretary's discretion in the
allocation of scarce resources and other management actions associated
with the administration of the NFS and the NWPS. We use the term,
potential wilderness, in our wilderness evaluation process under our
LRMP efforts to evaluate areas as potential additions to the NWPS. The
Kimberling Creek addition was recently acquired as NFS land and in its
current condition does not contain the basic natural characteristics
that make it suitable for wilderness due to an extensive road network.
We would recommend that the Committee consider allowing the Secretary to
continue the current management prescription for this area which is
Dispersed Recreation-Unsuitable. This management emphasis provides for a
variety of dispersed recreation uses with minimal vegetation management
and would allow use of motorized and mechanized equipment for needed
road and trail rehabilitation work. We plan to develop rehabilitation
plans and implement these plans within the next 5 to 10 years. While
this area was not recommended as a potential wilderness area in the
LRMP, future wilderness designation of this area could be reevaluated
after restoration activities occur.

The Department does not support wilderness designation for the Brush
Mountain and Brush Mountain East areas. These areas lie on the north
side of Brush Mountain and are separated by a 345 kilovolt powerline
corridor. They were not recommended for wilderness study in LRMP. They
contain fire-dependent forest habitat which make up approximately 50
percent of these two areas. Additionally, the areas are largely
surrounded by private lands. Wildland urban interface (subdivisions and
housing developments) exists on the north and south boundaries. If
designated as wilderness, our ability to utilize prescribed fire for the
maintenance of southern yellow pine forest communities and to conduct
hazardous fuels reduction projects would be hampered in these interface
areas. Our ability to use prescribed fire is compromised when we cannot
mechanically construct firelines to better control fire management
activities. Additionally, the narrow width of, and the bisecting
powerline corridor within these areas detract from their naturalness and
offer few opportunities for solitude. We have also recently identified a
need for a small boundary change in the proposed wilderness area along
the northwest side of Brush Mountain East. An electric distribution line
is located along Craig Creek and the current boundary includes some of
the line within the proposed wilderness. If the Committee proceeds with
wilderness designation, we would like to work with the Committee to
adjust the boundary to exclude this existing line.

The Department could support the designation of the Raccoon Branch area
as a wilderness area if agreements are reached in resolving trail
maintenance issues in the area and if the requirement contained in
section 5(d) of the bill for a sustainable trail is amended to provide
more flexibility for any future alternative trail locations. Nearly six
miles of the Virginia Highlands Horse Trail (VHHT) and the Dickey Knob
Trail traverse this area. These trails are heavily used by both
equestrians and mountain bikers. Currently only four of the six miles of
the VHHT in the Raccoon Branch area are open to mountain bike use due to
the steep nature of the trail where it enters the west end of Raccoon
Branch. Wilderness designation would eliminate mountain bike use within
the area. While equestrian use is compatible with wilderness
designation, heavy use and ground conditions along the VHHT necessitate
extensive maintenance to maintain the integrity of the trail and protect
watershed and other resources values. To maintain the trail to the
standards that are needed without mechanized or motorized equipment will
require cooperative agreements and commitments from user groups to help
in maintenance to protect the resources and to provide for continued
equestrian use of the trail. We would like to work with the Committee to
adjust the boundary as now proposed in the bill. The adjustment would
exclude the section of VHHT from the western boundary to its
intersection with Hickory Ridge Trail #4516 which we believe would
alleviate much of the concern with maintaining the trail for equestrian
use.

**National Scenic Area Proposals**

Section 4 of H.R. 1011 would establish Seng Mountain and Bear Creek
National Scenic Areas **(**NSAs**)**. In testimony to the House Natural
Resources Committee in May, the Department expressed concerns regarding
the proposed Bear Creek NSA over the limitations on our ability to
improve black bear habitat and to provide opportunities for hunting as a
result of this designation and mandated closure of a Forest Service
development road. The Department indicated it could support the Bear
Creek NSA designation if allowances were made for seasonal motorized use
of Forest Development Road #6261 during hunting season. Subsequently,
the Natural Resources Committee amended H.R. 1011 to provide that the
road will be open for motorized use during bear and deer hunting
seasons. The Department appreciates the action by the Natural Resources
Committee relative to the road.

Last month, the President signed Executive Order (E.O.) No. 13443,
"Facilitation of Hunting Heritage and Wildlife Conservation." This E.O.
requires Federal land management agencies to "\...Manage wildlife and
wildlife habitats on public lands in a manner that expands and enhances
hunting opportunities\...". Forest Service direction on compliance with
the E.O. is being developed. Portions of both the Seng Mountain and Bear
Creek NSAs are managed under the LRMP to manage black bear habitat. We
would like to work with the Committee on language that would allow a low
level of habitat management for black bear that would be consistent with
the E.O. and compatible with the purposes for which the scenic areas are
being established.

The proposed Seng Mountain NSA is within the congressionally designated
Mount Rogers National Recreation Area (NRA). The Mount Rogers NRA is
managed to provide public outdoor recreation benefits and the continued
use by a diversity of recreation uses. The Seng Mountain area contains a
motorized trail, the Barton Gap Trail #4624. Motorized use of the trail
would be prohibited under H.R. 1011. The Barton Gap Trail is one of only
five designated motorcycle trails on the George Washington and Jefferson
National Forests and is an important part of the diversity of recreation
opportunities that we provide the visitors that use the Forest and the
Mount Rogers NRA. The Department would like to work with the Committee
to resolve any confusion resulting from the overlapping designations for
the Seng Mountain area. The Department recommends that the overlapping
designation be clarified and continued motorized use on the Barton Gap
Trail be allowed.

**Trail Development Plans**

H.R. 1011 would require the Secretary to establish a trail plan to
develop hiking and equestrian trails on lands designated as wilderness
by this bill. The designated lands would be administered in accordance
with the Wilderness Act. The Forest Service already addresses trail
management and planning standards within the LRMP planning process. The
Department considers the requirement to develop additional trail plans
to be unnecessary.

H.R. 1011 also would require the Secretary to develop a sustainable
trail to provide a continuous connection for non-motorized travel
between State Route (SR) 650 and Forest Development Road 4018. This
trail would be along SR 16. We believe that it would be costly and
difficult to provide a trail in this general location that would be safe
for both equestrians and mountain bikers. The existing gravel road (SR
650) is winding and narrow and contains several blind curves. It
receives high local use and is the main access road for campers and
recreational vehicles to enter Hurricane Campground. Further, a
potential connector trail for horses and bikes from SR 650 along the
route of the old Marion-Rye Valley rail bed would require crossing SR
16, a 55-mph State highway that receives heavy commercial use, in a
location with poor sight distance. Trail construction along the stream
would be unlikely to meet our Forest standards for riparian protection.
The bill language that specifies the terminus of the connector route
limits our ability to locate and construct a trail that will meet Forest
Service standards for safety and in a manner that is environmentally
appropriate. We would like to work with the Committee on language that
would allow us to construct trail facilities with adequate consideration
for alternatives, priorities, and costs.

This concludes my statement, I would be happy to answer any questions
that you may have.