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WASHINGTON, DC, September 7, 2000--Protecting the last remaining roadless areas on a state's national forest is good for that state's economy according to The Wilderness Society. Following up on "Economic Values of Protecting Roadless Areas," a study prepared by John B. Loomis, PhD., Professor of Agriculture and Resource Economics at Colorado State University, and released earlier this summer, 15 state-specific economic profiles point to distinct patterns in income and job growth that make it clear that forests products manufacturing and other resource extractive jobs are a minor, and in most cases, declining part of the economy in states with national forest land. The fourteen states include: California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, and Wisconsin.

"Non-labor income, including investment and retirement income, has become number one source of earnings in most if not all of the states with national forests," said Spencer Phillips, resource economist for the Wilderness Society. "Furthermore we are seeing the service sector now as the main source of job and earnings growth in most of these states, with much of the greatest growth in high paying service jobs in fields such as healthcare and engineering and management services."

"Protection of roadless areas that includes a prohibition on logging in the final roadless rule is clearly consistent with economic development," added Wilderness Society resource economist Pete Morton. "People in high-paying service jobs and those who collect non-labor income are attracted to areas with a clean environment and pristine wildlands."

Since the release of the US Forest Service's draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) in May, The Wilderness Society has consistently called for the addition of a no logging provision in the final decision that is expected to be announced by the President later this year.

"It's clear that prohibiting all logging in these last pristine wild areas is not only good for our national forests, it's good for our states' economies. That's why President Clinton must insure that the final roadless rule include a no logging provision," said William Meadows, President of The Wilderness Society.

For more information and downloadable PDF format copies of all of the state Economic Profiles as well as to access "Economic Values of Protecting Roadless Areas" log onto www.wilderness.org/newsroom/roadless_090600.htm

Founded in 1935, The Wilderness Society works to preserve America's wilderness and to develop a network of wild lands through public education, scientific analysis and advocacy. Our goal is to ensure that future generations will enjoy the clean air and water, wildlife, natural beauty, opportunities for recreation and spiritual renewal that protected forests, rivers, deserts and mountains provide. For additional information on The Wilderness Society, please visit our web site at: http://www.wilderness.org/.

To receive Wilderness Society news releases and tip sheets online, send an email message to: newsroom@tws.org. Please type "Get News Online" in the subject line and include your name and news affiliation. Or subscribe online.