Burns support solicited for Baucus nomination of Jim Hurst

To the Editor:

The Yaak Valley Forest Council would like to clarify our recent op-ed about our eagerness to work with Jim Hurst on roadless and timber issues, particularly if Jim's nomination to the White House's committee on roadless lands is accepted. The headline stated that we supported Senator Burns' nomination of Jim to this council, but it is actually Senator Baucus who nominated Jim for the position.

That said, we do hope (and assume) Senator Burns can also support the nomination, and particularly our efforts to develop a community forest in Lincoln County. Senator Burns is in a unique position to help us secure this investment, and begin the development of our long-desired Community Forest — one which maintains traditional community access while preserving a sustainable timber yield — and we look forward to continued engagement on this discussion, believing that it will be productive to all interests: school interests, corporate timberland owners as well as independent mill owners and woodworkers, and hunters, anglers, lodgeowners — in short, a win-win template for the future.

And again, we respect Senator Baucus' suggestion that Jim help lead these discussions, and find him to be a powerful voice and ally in this pursuit of common ground opportunities and solutions.

Rick Bass

Board Member

Yaak Valley Forest Council