This tract of land is like a long narrow finger intruding between lands protected by the Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Canaan Valley State Park. There are already in existence jeep roads, former all-terrain vehicle trails and logging railroad grades throughout the area, which would provide a minimum impact route for such a trail. Now let me state this plainly. In no way am I advocating turning Monongahela National Forest into a total wilderness. I am a strong supporter of scientific multi-use forestry in which wilderness is a strong component.
Wilderness territories are central to the traditional American experience.
American National Forests are not tree farms, but rather ecologically sound bio-systems serving our local and national economic and recreational needs. Multi-use forestry is vital to the sustainability of local economies. Federal land acquisition and its resulting watershed protection is necessary both for a sustainable recreation base and for timber management. Fragmented federal properties cannot be managed successfully to meet recreational needs, ecological demands and viable timbering goals. I strongly recommend that the National Forest actively seek to acquire Dobbins Slashings now.