White House wants to sell federal forestland

Plan would subsidize schools in timber country, but opponents say it would hurt hunters, anglers, campers, foresters, cattlemen, miners and others

By James W. Brosnan

Scripps Howard News Service — Feb. 10, 2006

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration is proposing to sell up to 307,000 acres of national forestland in 32 states to developers to subsidize schools in timber country.

The U.S. Forest Service hopes to generate $800 million over five years from the sale of isolated parcels that are difficult for foresters to manage, said Mark Rey, undersecretary of Agriculture for natural resources and environment.