The Uinta National Forestencompassing Utah, Wasatch, and Juab Counties-has been singled out for a pilot role in a program of redirecting forest planning under the National Forest Management Act of 1976. The Uinta, headquartered in Provo, is one of 10 forests of the 153 in the national system (and the only one in the Intermountain Region) selected for the program. Staff members under Dr.Don T. Nebeker, forest supervisor, already are at work organizing and planning an evaluation of resources and management. County and local officials have met with forest officials and have expressed support. Input will be sought from the public. Major thrusts of the planning include: -Re-examination of the allocation of resources for use. Such trends as population growth and expanding needs of recreation will be considered. -Watershed improvement. -Problems associated with boundaries, such as critical deer ranges in winter and the changing foothills situation where benchlands are being occupied by homes instead of brushvegetation. Roads are being pushed against steep frontal slopes in some situations. Firefighting problems are changing. -Need for greater public awareness of the forests as well as “environmental ethics.” According to Lyle B. Gomm, Uinta Forest planner and Vera Crandall, pubhc information officer, all of the multiple uses will be examined. among those not already mentioned are timber, range, minerals and ener%. Interestingly, the RA E Il “roadless areas” recommendations will be resolved as part of the pilot None of the 15 areas in U recommended for RARE II wilderness designation is in the Uinta National orest. But about 50,000 acres in three sectors in the Santaquin-BirdseyeNebo region were groposed for additions study. Pu lic input on this and severa other issues could prove invaluable to forest planners leading to vital decisionmaking ahead. The Herald believes Utabns should give close scrutiny to all “roadless area” proposals in the state and not sacrifice the multiple use or general forest concept where resources are vital to present and future needs-especially with so much of the state’s land area tied up by the federal government. Re: the “environmental ethics” aspect, Mr. Gomm has noted that destructive or deteriorating influences especially will be studied with a view to reversing negative trends. “We want to develop pride in ownership, whether the lands are private or public,” he said. Vandalism, off-road vehicle damage, exploitation, and need for greater public awareness will be among items evaluated. The pilot program is something the public will be hearing more about in the weeks and months ahead. There will be meetings, workshops, open houses. The Secretary of Agriculture is aiming for completion of the forest planning project in 1935, but the Chief of t.he Forest Service wants the job done in 1903. Work is to be at draft environmental stage by Dec. 30, 1979. Thus, ilxdiob is at hand. The ultimate p uct, you might say, will be a framework for improved Forest Service operations. Public participation is invited-and if the Bgople don’t respond, then they ve only themselves to blame if the ultimate decisions are not to their liking. So They Say ”1-le’s the perfect stymbol of the double-talking, dou le-crossing politician. He doesn’t even know what gbarty he belongs to.” – n. George McGovern. DS.D., talking about ex-Democrat John Conna y, who is running for the 1980 G0? presidential nomination. “lt wouldn’t be very profitable to purposely run into a deer when it’s going to cost you $400. You can buy a lot of ground beef, steaks and hot dogs with S400.” – Paul Herig, a biologist for Connectlcut’s Department of Environmental Protection, saying motorists – hit with subsequent vehicle damage costs – last year accidentally killed more than 1,000 deer in the state.