Timber Summit

Representatives of the timber industry and environmental groups are hopeful that a Pacific Northwest timber summit, promised by Clinton during his campaign, will settle issues that have long polarized loggers and environmentalists in efforts to protect jobs and old-growth forests. The summit is expected in March or April.

Ironically, both sides of the issue believe that President Bush helped to polarize the situation, and industry representatives tend to believe that Congress was at fault as well. Most observers believe a workable compromise may finally be possible, and that it will probably emphasize industry diversification rather than retraining, along with resource management alternatives instead of simply withdrawing large tracts of old-growth forest from commercial markets.