Timber Bill

* America’s federally owned forest regions and South-Central Los Angeles share a disturbing similarity--failed public policy creating ghettos and government dependency. The easy political answer has been to throw more costly government programs at the problem. But the solution isn’t working. So why does The Times continue to take positions like “The Loggers Ax: No Wild Swings” (editorial, June 22)?

Contrary to your claims, federal forests are not dwindling. In fact, they’re increasing, and that is part of the problem. Too many trees, disease, drought, fire suppression and early logging practices have all added to the crisis. In California’s 20 million acres of national forests, the 1928 inventory was 102.2 billion board feet. In 1992, it was 186.5 billion, an increase of 82%.

The Emergency Two Year Salvage Timber Sale Program President Clinton is threatening to veto is a vital, short-term measure to put people back to work and restore the most desperate forests, with the intent of saving them from burning. Less than 25% of the dead trees would be removed over the next two years. Environmental review and public involvement would still be in place, albeit streamlined from the current burdensome and counter-productive system which serves mostly lawyers. A far cry from an amendment that “threatens forests” as your editorial claims.

DONN ZEA, Vice President

California Forestry Assn.

Sacramento