The U.S. Forest Service agrees to hear public comment on its plan to let Chippewa Indians cut timber in Wisconsin and Michigan national forests, having been accused of acting too quickly. The service and 10 bands of Lake Superior Chippewa have decided to delay implementation of the agreement, Jane Cliff, a spokeswoman for the service in Milwaukee, said Thursday. The service said it will accept written comment until March 23 and plans open houses Feb. 18 and 19 at 10 sites for people to pick up materials about the agreement and talk to service personnel. Gov. Tommy Thompson, state Department of Natural Resources Secretary George Meyer and the Wisconsin County Forest Association were among those urging the service to seek public input, Cliff said. Paul Carver, Obey' s legislative director in Washington, D.C., said Thursday that getting some public comment was important.
Many people don' t understand that or accept that.
The tribes also can gather birch bark, fir boughs, maple sap and firewood plus have easier access to plants used in native medicines. Supervisors of the national forests always had administrative authority to grant such requests, but the agreement formalizes the process, Cliff said. People view it as a giveaway and not available to anybody else, but it is if they meet certain criteria. The basis for the agreement is the Chippewas' gathering rights maintained in 18th century treaties with the federal government, Cliff said. Copyright 1999 Associated Press.