Federal Government Plan to Manage Southern National Forests Tuesday March 11, 2003 5:56am What best describes your feeling on a possible war with Iraq?  Wait for inspectors to finish  Do nothing without UN approval  No war under any circumstances  Remove Saddam at any cost disclaimer  |  results  |  more polls ___  ABC News 4 Interact  ___    • Signup for eNews Alerts    • ABC News 4 Pulse Poll    • Whats Your Opinion?    • Printable Version    • E-Mail This Story Washington (AP) - A plan for managing national forests in five Southern states got a cool reaction today from environmentalists who contend the U-S Forest Service ignored an alternative that would have dramatically curbed commercial logging.  Agriculture officials say their recommended draft proposal strikes a delicate balance between maintenance of the forests and recreational opportunities demanded by the public.  The plan spans 3.2 million acres and covers the Chattahoochee and Oconee National Forests in Georgia, the Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee, the Jefferson National Forest in Virginia, the Sumter National Forest in South Carolina, and the Bankhead, Talladega, Tuskegee and Concecuh National Forests in Alabama.  By unveiling the land management blueprint, which will be shaped to fit the individual forests, the Forest Service prepared to open a 90-day public comment period later this week on the recommended plan and six potential alternatives. However, it eliminated from consideration two other plans -- including one supported by some environmental groups. That proposal, known in the report as "Alternative C," would have eliminated virtually all commercial logging in the forests and imposed a policy of minimal "human intervention." The Forest Service concluded that wasn't the most practical way to meet some objectives, such as allowing for public recreation and preserving unique species that survive best in younger forests. » Find More Articles Related To This One » Search The Internet For More On This Topic Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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