Release No.  0176.96
                                                               
                                  Jim Petterson  (202) 720-4623
                                  Cheryl Walters (541) 957-3259

GLICKMAN ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT ON FIRST AND LAST TIMBER SALES

     Washington, April 6, 1996--Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman today
announced that the USDA Forest Service had reached an agreement that will halt
the logging of the First and Last old-growth timber sales on the Umpqua
National Forest in Oregon.

     The agreement, signed today by Umpqua National Forest Supervisor Don
Ostby and Allyn Ford, vice president of Scott Timber Company, states that
Scott Timber voluntarily will accept alternative timber in a less
environmentally-sensitive area in exchange for the First and Last timber
sales.  The agreement culminates weeks of efforts by the Forest Service and
Clinton Administration officials to find a way to implement a workable
solution that protects the First and Last sales.  The agreement reflects
broad-based support from the administration, environmental groups, the timber
industry and the Forest Service.

     The First and Last timber sales are within the South Umpqua River
drainage on the Tiller Ranger District.  Providing alternative timber will
reduce impacts to the habitat of coho salmon, cutthroat trout and winter
trout, as well as the northern spotted owl.  

     "I want to thank the representatives from the Forest Service, the timber
operator and local environmental groups who came to the table and reached the
agreement to protect this remarkable area from further harm," Glickman said. 
"This agreement demonstrates the Clinton Administration's commitment to doing
everything it can within the confines of the timber rider passed by Congress
to protect these fragile areas."

     In order to offer the alternative timber, the Forest Service used new
authority issued by Glickman to offer alternative timber outside the original
sale area.  Prior to the new authority, Forest Service regulations prevented
the offering of alternative timber outside of a given sale area.  In the case
of the First and Last sales, and some other 318 sales, environmentally-sound
timber sale units are not available within timber sale boundaries. 

     The alternative timber offered to Scott Timber in lieu of First and Last
is overstory trees in existing, roaded shelterwood harvest units within matrix
lands on the Tiller Ranger District on the Umpqua National Forest.

     "The community of Roseburg and the environment will benefit from this
agreement," said James R. Lyons, under secretary for natural resources and
environment.  "Our intent now is to continue the dialogue we have started in
hopes of preventing the harvesting of other environmentally-critical section
318 sales in the Umpqua and Siskiyou National Forests."

     "We all share in the success," said Ostby.  "I'd like to thank the
Forest Service employees on the Tiller Ranger District for a first-rate
solution and the local community for their support.  I also appreciate the
effort expended by the Clinton Administration and the highest level of the
Forest Service in developing the framework to make the solution workable."

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